These Days
by Jaded Angel
Summary: Post Sectionals. “If you need me, let me know, gonna be around. If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down.” OC; R/F; P/Q;
1. Old Friends and New Enemies

**Disclaimer: **Don't own anything, blah, blah, blah. Wish I did because Glee, freakin' amazing! The song in this chapter is Taylor Swift's "Crazier".

**Author's Note: **So, I recently got into Glee. Or well, I got into over the course of the past month or so, and let me tell you. Brilliant! I simply adore Finn & Rachel. They're absolutely adorable! So, this would be my first attempt at a GLEE fan fiction. I'm going to try and not make it have too many chapters and keep up with efficient updates.

The setting is about two weeks after sectionals. Finn is still mad at Puck and Quinn, and Rachel is keeping her distant from Finn, much to his dismay. There is an original character, but she's not a love interest for anyone. And I have the Kurt/Rachel friend dynamic, because I think that's a fiery friendship that is simply adorable. Eventually there will be Finn/Rachel, Quinn/Puck, and a few love triangle angles thrown in.

I'm always open for suggestions, comments, criticism, and compliments. Hope you enjoy! Happy Readings!! ((**PS**: I know there is probably several grammar, English mistakes, which I tend to always miss in my own writings, so please, forgive me!))

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Her hair was cut short, to just below her chin. It was curly and wavy, accenting her oval face perfectly. Her sunglasses were pushed up into her hair, allowing her bangs to be side swept and her silver hoops to glitter against the fluorescent lights.

Rosy cheeks and just barely outlined eyes complimented her olive skin and bright smile, her teeth shining like a toothpaste commercial. She had a curve to her hips, which sashayed in her jeans. A pink and white striped polo shirt hugged her upper body.

A Tiffany necklace and bracelet were shiny against her skin tone, giving every indication she was worth something much more valuable then anything in Lima, Ohio. And the completely scoff-free white sneakers and shoulder bag, that was just part of how much she was truly worth.

She wandered down the halls, her shoes making no sound against the linoleum. She walked past the choir room, pausing to look in to find exactly what she had been searching for. With a perfectly pink and white manicured hand, she pushed open the door, smiling brilliantly as Finn and Rachel finished a duet.

She was the first to start clapping.

---

It had been two weeks since they had won sectionals. Two weeks of congratulations, compliments, and proud slaps on the back. Two weeks of the popular part of the club regaining some of their glory and the unpopular part gaining some spotlight. Two weeks of fake smiles and bitter silences.

Even though he had forgiven his fellow teammates, he couldn't bring himself to forgive Puck and Quinn. Not yet at least. They had lied to him. Made a fool of him. Caused him to break several little knickknacks in his house. They had put him through the ringer and he had yet to recover.

He was grateful for his other friends though. They were doing a fantastic job of supporting him, as well as Puck and Quinn, without choosing sides. Although, he had reasoned, they had kept Puck and Quinn a secret from him. They had lied to him just as his former best-friend and girlfriend had lied to him.

Well, all of them except Rachel. And she was currently not talking to him. Sure she was polite and cordial when it was called from her, but other then their duets or musical rehearsals, the only thing that had passed between them was a 'thank you' or a 'please'.

Finn had asked Kurt and Tina about it, seeing as how they were the closest to Rachel (even though it wasn't a very close, close). But the two seemed to be just as confused as him. The entire Glee club had imagined the singing goddess to throw herself at Finn the minute they returned from their victorious performance. That was not the case. She was barely talking to her Glee peers, and had sworn off even looking at Finn, Puck, and Quinn.

And, even though he had yet to admit it, it was driving Finn up the wall.

The girl had weaseled herself into his life as a friend, a really good friend. She was persistently there for him with a listening ear, a kind word, or a bit of sound advice. Now, however, Finn had to go out of his way just to get a quick glimpse of her.

He hadn't really been in the mood for Glee as he walked into the choir room, making his way to the far end of the line of chairs, right next to Brittany and Kurt. It was less fun, what with Puck and Quinn on the other side of the room and Rachel ignoring him.

"Ok guys, Finn, Rachel, I want you guys to try this song," Mr. Schue gave them both a smile, he seemed to be ignoring the fact that Finn looked down trotted and Rachel's face was set into an expressionless stare. "I think it would be a good song for regionals. Once we hear it we can vote if we want it or not."

"Mr. Schue, this is a girl's song?" Finn stated, his tone and eyes flat.

"Yes, Finn, I know." He gave him a tight lipped smile, looking over to Rachel who was reading over the lyrics.

"Why are we singing a girl's song?" The teacher's eyes moved back over to Finn, still waiting for Rachel's opinion.

"I think it's a beautiful song."

"It's a _girl's _song." Finn once again, slowly, stated.

"Finn, it's a girl's song. Yes. But I think you two singing it as a duet would work really nicely. It has low notes and a slow steady beat." Mr. Schuester smiled.

"Ms. Pillsbury likes this song, doesn't she?" Rachel looked up, locking eyes with her teacher. She didn't press the matter further upon seeing the shift in his expression. Ms. Pillsbury must have liked the song and threw it out as a suggestion.

Rachel stood up, moving to the center of the room, she made no eye contact as Finn maneuvered his way to the center as well.

He cleared his throat, hoping for her to look at him. His hope had fallen to deaf ears as Rachel began singing the Taylor Swift song with a steady voice. He had to admit, it was a beautiful song. And there was no way he could stop the smile on his face as she shifted and locked eyes with him as they both began belting out the chorus.

"_You lift my feet off the ground, you spin me around. You make me crazier, crazier. Feels like I'm falling and I am lost in your eyes. You make me crazier, crazier, crazier_."

She looked away as he began singing his own part. He wanted to look away from her, to sing to anyone else, but it was hard not to sing to her. She had believed in him from the very beginning, ever song he sang was a dedication to _her_.

She might not have known it before, but he was going to show it to her now.

Her voice mingled with his once again, but her eyes stayed glued to the paper Mr. Schue had given them. He wanted her to look up, to acknowledge him. With a swift breath, he allowed his eyes to dart into the crowd to see his fellow team-mates swaying with the slow-down beat and love struck words.

Brown crashed with brown as he looked back at her, the smile returning to his face. He couldn't help but assume this was probably why she was ignoring him.

Their song ended too quickly and as he went to grab her hand a small applause broke out from the corner of the choir room. They turned, as well as the rest of the room, to the entrance to see a petite girl clapping enthusiastically.

"That was fabulous! Jeez, Finn Hudson singing in public. I just about thought I'd never see the day." Kurt, Tina, Artie, Mercedes, Matt, Mike, Brittany, Santana, Quinn, and Rachel all went from staring at the girl to giving Finn loud looks of confusion. Mr. Schue simply continued to stare at the stranger with an eyebrow raised. Finn and Puck were the only two to look at her with large smiles jumping off their faces.

"Cali! Oh my god!" Finn took two long strides grabbing the girl by the waist and spinning her in a hug. "What are you doing here?!"

"Mommy has to go to California for a few weeks and I told her that I hadn't seen you and your mom in forever!" Cali laughed, her earrings jingling against her necklace. Her arms tightened around his neck. "I missed you so much!"

"I can't believe you're here." Finn slowly set her down, grinning at her like a madman.

"Yo! Twinkle toes!" Finn and Cali both shifted, staring at Puck who had stood up. Once again, Kurt, Mercedes, Artie, Tina, Mike, Brittany, Matt, Santana, Quinn, and Rachel gave loud looks of confusion, this time to Puck.

"Puckhead!" Cali squealed, practically soaring over to throw herself at the olive skinned boy. "You're in Glee too!"

"You know, I had to bring a certain level of badass-ness to the table." They both laughed.

Slowly, very slowly, because they knew this could set Finn off, the Glee club turned to look at their leading singer. He was not wearing a scowl or a pissed off look. He didn't even seem fazed that this tiny girl had leaped half across the room to throw herself at Puck, seconds after throwing herself at Finn. In fact, and it was weird, Finn was still grinning like a fool, unfazed by this new development in the mystery girl.

"Um, guys, some introductions might be nice." Mr. Schue shot Cali a warm smile, extending his hand.

"Oh my god. I'm so rude when I get hyper. I'm so sorry. Calista Monty." She shook his hand. "You can call me Cali though."

"Welcome to McKinley High, Cali. I'm Mr. Schuester, the Glee director." She nodded her head, looking over to Finn and throwing him a wink.

"My mom and Cali's mom have been best friends since they were five. Cali use to spend every summer and spring break with us." There was no denying it, even though certain members of the club wish they could, Finn was lit like the Rockefeller tree at Christmas.

"I haven't seen Finn or Puck since seventh grade." Cali turned and shot Puck a smile. "Since before they went and got all toned and define. My goodness, boy, put the gun show away."

Puck chuckled, shaking his head. "Dude, you haven't emailed me or anything!"

"Communication is a two way street." She laughed and gently hit his shoulder. The three, and possibly Mr. Schue, was ignoring the fact that there were ten other people in the room, staring at the scene in front of them.

Quinn stood up, her mouth opening to say something, but then quickly shut her mouth and slammed her hand over it. She rushed out of the choir room. Cali, Finn, and Puck stared after her, but only for a second. Puck cleared his throat and moved quickly after Quinn. The frown Kurt and Rachel had been banking on when Cali threw herself at Puck, finally crossed over Finn's face.

"Wow. I'm never made anyone want to hurl before." Cali smiled and looked up at Finn, only to mirror his frown. "What did I--?" Finn shook his head, effectively cutting her off.

"Mr. Schue, is it ok if I leave rehearsal early? I kind of want to see Cali's mom."

"Yeah Finn, we'll see you tomorrow?" Cali nodded for both of them, and gave a quick wave over her shoulder to the rest of the room.

They watched the pair leave, and then turned to look at each other. Rachel, who had been standing the whole time, gave a strangled noise, as Kurt's eyes twisted manically.

"I did not sign up to have even more competition in this never-ending race for Hudson." Mercedes simply patted his shoulder.

"Maybe they really are just friends." Artie offered, receiving glares from both Rachel and Kurt.

"She's pretty hot." Mike threw out, only to slouch in his chair as Brittany hit his shoulder and Rachel and Kurt's glares drifted over to him.

"Ok guys, enough gossip. Brittany go check on Puck and Quinn. Mercedes, why don't you wow us with song. If I have Rachel and Finn doing a duet, I'll need you guys as my soloists."

"Mr. Schue, you can count on me." Mercedes stated brightly, high-fiving Tina, and making her way to the center stage.

---

"She is very pretty." Rachel reasoned, leaning against the school stairs. Kurt turned his head and shot her a look.

"I will admit that she has a fabulous dress sense and pulls off the almost Marilyn Monroe hair-do perfectly. But she is no prettier then anyone else."

The two had been waiting for their fathers to pick them up from the school. Kurt's SUV had a flat tire and Rachel's car was currently being used by her other father, since his car was at the shop. They had been waiting for a little over twenty minutes and had resigned to thinking that their fathers had most likely forgotten them.

Rachel and Kurt had, even though they had yet to admit it, become friends. It had happened after sectionals when Kurt found her in a ball hysterically crying. When asked what was wrong, she had begun crying even harder and rambled incoherently for the better part of ten minutes before coming to some composure.

Kurt hadn't pressed her for answers and Rachel was grateful for having a shoulder to lean on. And even though he still liked Finn, Kurt had accepted the fact that Finn only liked him as a friend. It helped that Finn had come half crazed to Kurt and Tina about Rachel's lack of communication. Kurt was confident enough in himself to accept the fact that Finn _may_ hold a certain flame for their reigning glee drama queen.

Though it pained him so to admit.

"He hasn't been that happy since we won sectionals." Rachel stated, her head dropped back, her eyes focusing on the dreary sky.

"He looks happy when you two are singing." The two looked at each other for a second before Rachel dropped her head back and Kurt looked forward. "Why are you treating him like a second class citizen?"

"Protecting myself does not constitute as treating him like a second class citizen. We're just not talking right now."

"You're not talking to _him_. I have it on good authority that he wants to talk to _you_. Lord knows why." Kurt smirked as Rachel elbowed him.

"You're handling this awful well." Kurt tousled his side bang and sat up a little straighter.

"Even though I have impeccable fashion sense, superior to yours, and my demeanor outshines those of royalty, I'm not stupid. Finn obviously has bad taste and I have come to accept that I'm simply too far above him."

Rachel stared at Kurt with a blank expression. "When you say bad tastes?"

"He likes girls. Personally, I don't know what he sees in you ladies." His smirked widened as Rachel once again hit him.

---

"So," Finn was laying in his bed, his eyes shut, and his hands tucked under his head. He had regaled Cali with his story of deception and betrayal, leaving out random details of Kurt's love for him, his indiscretions with Rachel, and the entire glee club knowing about everything and not telling him. "Basically, you got played by a bimbo."

"She's not a bimbo." He replied automatically.

"Ok, fine, the whore."

"Cali." His tone was sharp, his eyes remaining shut.

"So you still have feelings for her. I gotcha, I gotcha."

"I do not have feelings for her." Finn practically growled. He thought that having Cali here, letting her give him advice and help sooth his wounds, would make everything better.

He was sadly mistaken.

"Well, then, what's the problem. She cheated, lied, abused you, and is now waiting with baited breath for your forgiveness. Puck has been your friend since second grade."

"It was suppose to be my baby."

"Um, why would you have wanted a baby at sixteen?" His eyes shot opened and he stared at his childhood friend who was half sitting on his dresser. She sighed and moved towards the bed, throwing herself on her stomach. "Fish-Finn. Come on." Her baby brown eyes stared into his darker orbs. "You missed a bullet by a mile."

"She lied to me!" Finn swung himself so that he was sitting up. His body crouched, his hands covering his face. "They both lied to me. Would you have been able to forgive them?"

"No, Finn, I wouldn't. Which proves that you have feelings for them as your friends. If you could forgive them it would show how much you didn't care." Cali rolled over, her eyes staring at the white ceiling. Silence enveloped them, their breaths echoing in their ears. "Who was the girl you were singing with?"

"Rachel Berry." There was the slightest infliction as he said her name, causing Cali to nod gently.

"Ah-ha, so, the plot thickens."

"You know I hate when you use those theatre phrases." Finn looked over his shoulder, noticing the slightest smile on his friend's face.

"You like the Raspberry."

"Please stop coming up with names for people in my life. We're no longer six." He couldn't help but smile as she laughed.

"Oh, Fish-Finn. You went and a made a whole book out of a short story." She sighed and sat up. "It's a good thing I came when I did. There was no way you were going to over come the climax without me."

Finn stared at her, before gently flicking her forehead with his hand. "Seriously." He flicked her again. "No one knows what you're talking about."

Cali moved away from him. "First things first, I want to hear ever last little, dirty detail of you sophomore year so far. And try and be as unbiased as possible."

"There's nothing to say. I'm a moron and everyone knows it." Sighing seemed to be the new order of things. Cali moved to sit next to Fin, her eyes focusing on the curtained window.

"You're not a moron Finn. When we love people, we ignore things that are right in front of us. Sometimes we slip up and then ignore things we know are true." She patted his shoulder. "Come on, I'll take you out for some ice cream."

"We're not six." Finn stated again, staring as she got up.

"Pf. It's _ice cream_. It solves all." She threw him a wink and then walked out. Finn looked at his ceiling and ran a hand down his face.

It was going to be a very long few weeks.


	2. Nicknames and Frenemies

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the GLEE Season 1 (or, well half of it) DVD. I so wished I owned it though. So sad.

**Author's note: **Thank you so much to all those who read, and reviewed, and put it on their favorites. You're all MY favorite! But, anyway, Chapter 2. Yay. There isn't too much actual GLEE club interaction in this chapter, but lots of little bits and pieces to Fin and Rachel, and Cali, and a little one sided Puck and Quinn. Cali is way violent in this, and the other four main one in this chapter may be a bit OOC, but, time will correct these purposeful actions.

It may seem like I hate Quinn… the way I write her from Rachel and Cali's POVs, but I don't. I'm just kind of mad at all the shit she pulled, and then when you know he's not the baby daddy and you re-watch all the stuff she put him through. Dude. But, I promise next chapter more GLEE interaction, a little less Cali, and more couplie type moments. I love the Kurt and Rachel Frenemies (leaning closer to friends) relationship, just to point that out.

Yes, rambling, very sorry! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy and Thank You so much. Happy Readings!!

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He woke up to someone banging around in the bathroom. It was too early to get up. It was that simple. Rolling over he looked at his alarm clock, growling as his brain recognized the number six. It was _way _too early in his book.

Slowly, very slowly, he maneuvered himself to allow his feet to hit the floor and his body to become steady. A large yawn expanded his lips, his head feeling fuzzy with each blink of the eye. School didn't start for the better part of an hour. The better part of the hour he could have slept.

He was going to kill her.

Swinging his door open he stopped short, staring at the tiny girl flitting about the hallway. She was pretty much dressed, her hair already done, with various things in her hands.

"Cali, what the hell are you doing?" His voice was almost unrecognizable from sleep.

"I'm getting ready. I want to look my best for my first day of school. And I had to find a song to sing for my audition."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Finn leaned against his door frame, his hands rubbing his eyes.

"You know, my Glee audition. I'm thinking of singing _Kiss the Girl _or _Once Upon a Dream_." He had stopping rubbing, his fists simply covering his eyes at this point.

"You're trying out for Glee? You're only going to be here for a few weeks!" The echo of his voice traveled up and down the hallway. He was grateful that his mother left for work at five fifty and she would not be disturbed as he murdered his best friend.

"You expect me to sit idly by, everyday, while being surrounded by Puck, and the Quinn girl, and Rachel, and not say a damn word." Cali scoffed. "You're obviously still dreaming Finn."

He opened his eyes and stared at her, finally taken in her groomed presence. "You're not auditioning Twinkle toes. I forbid it." If looks could kill, Finn knew that he'd be laying on the ground. Not only was she going to audition, she was going to get in. He knew it and she knew it.

It wasn't that he didn't want her around, because she was going to end up going to rehearsals or practices or anything really with him. There was no way around it. And whether she was in the club or not, he knew Calista had a big mouth and would make her opinion known. There was nothing he could do about it.

He just wasn't too sure what his fellow glee members were going to think. Cali was a hard pill to swallow on her good days.

"Cal, I'm just looking out for you."

"And I'm looking out for _you_. These people are your friends. You're in freakin' Glee club! Do you know how many times I've tried getting you to do karaoke with me?!" Cali's face was a mix of happiness and thoughtfulness. "And I don't know who or what got into you to join Glee, but you need to be a little more appreciative!"

Finn stared at her blankly, barely acknowledging her 'hmphrf' noise as she walked away from him, slamming the bathroom door.

"Wait? What?"

---

"What the hell is this?" Rachel turned to look at Kurt and Mercedes. She looked down at her outfit and then back at her friend.

"A dress?"

"Lord have mercy." Kurt lowered his head, covering his eyes. Rachel once again looked down at her deep purple dress, that had black flowers printed over it, with a black belt and her black ballet flats. "I just wish I had the time to come over and situate you."

Rachel closed her mouth and gave the stylish boy a heated look. Mercedes was shaking her head, hoping the two would not get into a large fight right before the morning bell.

"This is not a dress. This is something Nana Doris would wear. And she's half blind Rachel." Kurt sucked his lips in, his head shaking. "Half blind."

"It's a nice dress Kurt!" Rachel shook her head, turning back to her locker. "I think I look wonderful."

"That is _not_ a dress. That is a fashion emergency. Where is Tim Gunn?" Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Kurt, shut up." Mercedes stated, shaking her head. She gave a small smile to Rachel. "It's a nice dress Rachel." The brunette gave her a smile in return as Kurt sent her a disgusted look. "I am not in the mood for you two fighting."

Kurt shook his head, face full of disgust, before turning back to Rachel. "Did you get any info on that girl?"

Rachel shook her head. "I'm not talking to Finn and I have no actual pull with Puck. What information did you want me to gather?"

"I think you need to talk to Finn." Kurt demanded.

"You go talk to Finn!" The two stared at each other as Mercedes placed a hand over her head.

"Hummel, Berry, Jones." The three looked up to see Puck passing them, his hands shoved in his jacket and his eyes ahead of him. Mercedes stuck her hand out and grabbed him, swinging him around into their little group. "What the hell?"

"Will you _please_ tell these fools that California is not here to steal Finn from Glee. _Or_ their happy asses." Puck looked at her, his eye brows coming together. His glance then shifted to Kurt and Rachel.

"California? She was born here, you know, and she lives in Seattle now. That's not California. And, no, Cali has no interest in Finn like that." Puck shook his head and laughed. "You two are so pathetic."

Kurt huffed while Rachel simply glared at the mohawked boy.

"I'm assuming then that the harlot and you had a thing." Puck turned completely to Kurt, his lips turning up into a smirk.

"Hummel, I have known that girl since we were six. She use to sit on my head and make me eat mud. I couldn't kick her ass because she was a girl. When I turned eight I got hit in the head with a hockey puck while some of the older kids were playing street hockey. Cali still calls me Puckhead. And if she's still calling me that, then she's still calling Finn, Fish-Finn. Neither me or Finn, is going to date someone who has known us since we were five and six. There is _way_ too much knowledge in that whole mess."

"That's sickeningly adorable." Kurt stated bluntly. Rachel and Mercedes simply looked at him.

"So, she's not after Finn?" Rachel clarified.

"Uh, no." Puck shook his head. "Why would you care though? You're ignoring him."

Rachel opened her mouth but no words came out. Kurt turned so that he was facing her.

"I told you everyone had noticed."

"Shut up." Rachel mumbled. Puck shook his head.

"All I'm saying--" Kurt, Rachel, and Mercedes widened their eyes as the petite girl passed them, yanking on Puck's jacket collar. "Ow! Cali!"

"You just wait Noah Jeremy Puckerman!" They watched as she dragged him down the hall. "You better be thanking Moses I haven't called your mother yet! You stupid moron!"

"What was that?" Rachel questioned as Cali continued shouting and yelling, Puck trying to squirm from her tight grasp.

"That would be the result of Finn telling California about Puck and Quinn." Mercedes mumbled, flinching as Puck finally maneuvered out of Cali's hold at the end of the hall, only to get smacked in the back of the head.

"I wish I could be a fly on that wall." Kurt stated a smirk appearing over his features. "I think she might do actual damage to him."

"And that's a good thing?" Rachel and Mercedes asked, staring at the mad-clown expression across Kurt's brow.

"Payback is a _bea_utiful thing, my dear friends."

---

Finn was not in a good mood. He had not gone back to sleep after Cali's noise festival and had then almost gotten ran over by her rent-a-car. He had decided to skip first period and crash in the auditorium, only to be rudely awaken by the Jazz club performing _Sweet Home Alabama_. Which, Finn had decided as he stomped from the cushioned seats, Alabama was not that sweet.

His stomach twisted, as it always did come third period. He sat at his lab table, staring at the table parallel to his on the other aisle. It was the one class where both Quinn and Rachel shared it with him. It was easy to ignore Quinn in Spanish because he had switched seats to the far end of the room. And Rachel avoided him during gym. Chemistry, however, well it was just his burden to bare.

"Do you not know how to answer your phone?" He looked up, chocolate eyes crashing with honey eyes.

"What?"

"I've been texting you since first period." Cali walked around the lab table, plopping down next to him.

"Yeah, _where_ have you been?" He raised an eyebrow. She had disappeared almost immediately after parking the car.

"I have first and second period with Puck, then third and fourth with you, and then lunch with both of you, then the rest of the day with you. Other then sixth period."

Finn rolled his eyes. "Why do you have classes with _him_?"

"Uh, because I needed to be in certain classes to keep up with my own scholastics. I don't need Spanish or Algebra. But I do need Advanced English, hence why I get my own sixth period."

"Yeah. Hence." Finn shook his head, his eyes darting to the lab table.

"Who sits there?" He looked at her, growling internally by how perceptive she was.

"Rachel."

"Go sit there then."

"She's not," Finn looked at her as if she had grown a second head. "She's not talking to me. We discussed this already."

"Then _make_ her talk to you. You told me that she was the one who made you think twice. The one who always made you feel something. Whether it be confusion or happiness. You said that she was worth it."

"I also told you that I have no clue as to why she's not talking to me." He stated, his voice a dangerous whisper.

"Then _find out_." Before Finn could say anything else, Cali shot up and lunged across the lab table, grabbing Tina's hand and slamming her into a seat at the table in the other aisle.

Finn stared at her victorious smile, shifting to look at the door as she bent her head to the side. Rachel was walking in, oddly close to the sound of the bell. He watched as her eyes floated over the room, looking at her usual table and then at his table. A knot tied in his stomach as he saw her eyes widen.

Darting a quick look to Cali who was busy talking to Tina, he sighed to himself, realizing that he was alone on this one.

"Hey Rach." His voice was octaves lower.

"Hey." She threw him a half smile, gently resting her books next to him. She looked at him, nodded for a bit, and then turned to face the board.

"How are you?" He leaned up a bit, tilting his head to watch her. She glanced at him and then back at the board.

"Fine, thank you." Another inward sigh echoed in his chest, and he ended up leaning back down with his chin in his hand. His eyes moved to see Tina and Cali both staring at him, their eyes telling him to continue acting like a fool. At least he knew what they had been talking about so animatedly.

"Rachel. How long are you going to ignore me?" Using his ESP, which he was well aware he didn't have, he prayed to some higher being that she would look at him. Smile at him. Anything at him. He missed having her as his friend; as his more then friend; whatever she was to him.

"I'm not ignoring you." Her eyes stayed on the board, her hands folding over her notebook.

"Well, I mean, I think you are. You haven't been talking to me, you barely look at me, hell, I even miss the time where all you did was yell at me." At least he got to hear her voice. At least when she was yelling at him it proved that she still cared for him.

He shifted and shot a quick glance at Tina and Cali who were watching as the teacher began his lecture, but still tried to maintain a visual contact on his table. It was hard not to start shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

"Finn, I am not ignoring you." Rachel stated lowly. She was looking down at her notebook, her pen sitting against the paper, unmoving.

"Then what would you call what you are doing?" It was probably the first fight they had ever had. Sure, there were times where he had been mad at her and times when she was pissed at him, but it never had led to an argument.

"I'm not doing _anything_." She shifted to look at him so fast he almost fell off his chair. Her eyebrows were link together, her lips an angry line. "I am just giving you space to figure out what you want and who you want it with." Before he could say something, her hand had flown into the air.

"Uh, Ms. Berry?" Finn looked to the front of the room to where their teacher had the piece of chalk in mid air.

"I'm feeling unwell, may I please go to the nurse?"

"Of course, of course. You can collect the notes from Mr. Hudson later I suppose." Rachel nodded her head, grabbed her books, and headed out of the room at lightening speed.

Finn's jaw was just about touching the table, his eyes glued to the hast escape of Rachel. He caught Tina and Cali looking at him with their own wide eyes and slacked jaws. He could hear their words in his head.

'What did _you_ do?'

---

Kurt sat down next to Rachel, turning his body to face her completely. Rachel, who had been snacking on her fruit bowl and looking over one of her free-time books, glanced at the soprano.

"Tina told me what happened in chemistry." Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Nothing happened in chemistry."

"I heard that Finn tried to talk to you and you shot him down."

"I did not shoot him down."

"And I'm not saying he might have tried to apologize for something he doesn't know he did, but I'm just saying that I heard what happened." Kurt's voice was getting lower and faster, forcing Rachel to give him her full attention.

"Kurt. Nothing happened in chemistry."

"But you did talk to him."

"For all that is good and pure." Rachel shook her head. "Yes, ok, yes. He asked why I was ignoring him and I told him I wasn't and now I am trying to read. Because every well rounded woman should try to read a non-school or work related book each week."

Kurt sat in silence looking at her and then at the book in front of her. He shifted so that he could prop his elbows on the table and gently fix his hair.

"What happened?"

"Do you honestly need me to repeat myself?" Rachel had gone back to looking at her book, even though Kurt could take a shot in the dark and assume she wasn't actually reading it.

"I mean that Monday. When I found you in a ball in your car." He cleared his throat, looking around the cafeteria.

"Nothing happened." Her voice had taken on a heart breaking tone, making him drag his eyes away from the hustle and bustle of the cafeteria to the sad little girl in the "ugly" purple dress.

"Oh, honey, I may not be your biggest personal fan, because, come on now." Kurt shook his head. "But you're my friend and that voice of yours hasn't been getting the proper amount of usage since you're little Berry cry fest." Rachel laughed, or well, Kurt thought she laughed, it could have been a half sob, but he went with it. "What happened?"

He had never seen Rachel Berry look so, well, defeated. Her eyes were dark pools, rippling with no emotion. Her lips were set into a frown, pulling the length of her face dangerous low.

"You know how we all left, or well I thought we had all left, after Mr. Schuester excused himself. I forgot a notebook and I had assured myself that I could just get it in the morning. With every step to my car I swore that I would end up needing it, so, needless to say, I turned around to get it." Rachel shook her head, chuckling to herself. "Finn and Quinn were in the choir room." Kurt gasped a little, apologizing almost immediately when Rachel gave him a tired look. "Quinn was talking and crying, and Finn was just, kind of crying. I'm not really sure. I couldn't really hear anything until Finn started yelling about all the things he had done and all of crap he had put up with."

"You had a breakdown because Finn yelled at her?" Kurt's look of compassion was slowly transforming to that of a look of confusion.

"She kissed him, and he kissed back, for a minute or so, and then he shook his head and said he was too hurt to deal with her, or the baby, or most importantly," Rachel laughed. "_Them_." She laughed again. "I thought a 'them' had been completely destroyed."

"He probably didn't mean it that way." Kurt shook his head, but Rachel wasn't looking at him.

"It doesn't matter, she ran out crying, and then he started crying, again, and next thing I knew I was in my car crying." She shook her head, leaning back into her chair. Her voice had a distant tone to it, as if the story she was telling was not her own. "There was lots of crying."

"Rachel, I," Kurt took a deep breath, his hand reaching over to pat her shoulder. "I know he likes you."

"I don't know if that's enough. And it's too soon for him to even consider me. And I refuse to play second fiddle to Quinn Perfection Fabray." Rachel laughed again. "I really do hate her."

Kurt sighed. "I know you do. I hate her because of those perfect highlights. She says they're real. But I know the truth." He sent her sideways look and she laughed.

---

Puck was staring at Kurt and Rachel's table. He knew something was up. They looked to be having an intense discussion, right before Kurt flipped his hair, said something, and Rachel started busting out laughing.

Not that he cared or anything. It was just weird seeing Kurt and Rachel hanging out, especially after that diva-off thing a few weeks ago. Then again, what with Rachel ignoring everyone and giving her solos away like candy, anything she did was now considered weird, even for her.

"Stupid, moron, jackass." He rolled his eyes, turning to look over his shoulder as Cali made her way from the lunch line.

"I heard this song earlier, sister, so shut your pie-hole." He flinched as she slammed her tray down, hitting his arm. Mike and Matt, who were sitting on the other side of the table laughed.

"I'm not talking about you, you pig. I'm talking about the over-sized bonsai tree."

"What did the all and powerful Finn Hudson do now?" Puck asked, not even trying to hide his annoyance.

"He left me. He stood up at the end of fourth period and left me. He better be thanking jesus that this dress is a good way to get guys to help a damsel in distress." Cali sat down, ignoring the fact that Puck, Mike, and Matt's eyes all ran from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, admiring her sun dress and jean jacket; all for reasons that had nothing to do with fashion.

"I heard you got him into trouble with Berry." Puck smirked as Cali mimicked him. "Ah-ha, the rumor mill got it right for once."

"I did no such thing." Cali shook her head, stabbing her fork hard into the pasta on her plate. "Who told you that?"

Puck smirked, looking over to Quinn's table.

"Pregnant Barbie, gotcha."

"Don't call her that." Puck stated, lightly nudging her shoulder.

"You all need to stop defending her. First she cheated on Finn, then lied to him, then called you a loser, then told you that she didn't need you." Cali gave him a nasty look. "Let me go and hand her the Nobel Peace Prize."

"She's giving me a chance." Puck said, his tone darker and lower. Mike shook his head.

"Quinn said that if Puck proved to her he was worthy of her love, she would consider raising the baby with him."

"Wow, what a saint." Puck slammed his hand hard down on the table near her tray, causing both Mike and Matt, as well has a few neighboring tables to jump slightly and look at him. Cali seemed to be unfazed.

"_Stop it_." Cali shrugged, but whatever telepathic answer she was sending to Puck seemed to be enough. He leaned back, his eyes darting to Quinn and then to Kurt and Rachel's table.

"You like her too?" He rolled his eyes, moving to look over at Quinn's table.

"Contrary to whatever is circling your head. I'm not interested in all the girls who are in Finn's line of sight." He grunted slightly.

"You did kind of date Rachel though." Matt spoke up, grinning in fear as Puck's head swiveled to stare at him, his eyes wide.

"That fabulous. That is just," Cali smacked Puck's shoulder. "Freakin'," another smack, "fabulous!"

"Will you stop hitting me!" Puck reached out and snapped his wrist against her hand, knowing it wouldn't do any real damage or cause any great pain. "When did you become so violent?"

"Lima does that to people. Wouldn't you say?" She stated pointedly, but shifted her seat away from him none-the-less. "You dated the girl Finn was attracted too. Please tell me you didn't know he liked her."

"No, he totally did. You should have seen the way Finn was staring at the two when Puck serenaded Rachel." Mike chirped.

"Dude, seriously?"

"What?" The Asian boy looked in confusion as Matt shook his head and Cali stared at Puck with an open mouth and squinted eyes.

"I am so calling your mother Puckhead. You wait. You just wait. First pregnant Barbie and then Raspberry."

"What are you, ten? Stop calling Quinn Barbie!" He stood up abruptly, only to get pulled back down.

"I will stop calling her Barbie." Cali stated, her fork going back to stabbing the food in front of her. "So you really like her, huh?"

"Yes." Puck stated, rolling his eyes. Mike and Matt started laughing only to stop as Puck looked up at them. "Why did you have to come to Lima, again? There are fifty states and you just had to come waltzing on home."

"Pf." Cali shook her head. "Thank god I came back home. You knocked up Finn's girlfriend who doesn't want to be with you and he got the girl he _really_ likes to swear off conversing with him. The two of you are your own antagonists."

Puck stuck out his tongue and folded his arms in a threatening manner. "I hate you."

"Sticks and stones, love." Cali quoted, shaking her head. "Do either of you have Advanced English next period?"

Matt shook his head while Mike smiled. Puck raised an eyebrow.

"I don't. But I know someone who does." Cali urged him to continue, only getting his head and eyes moving to a table far off to the side of the cafeteria.

"Hummel or Berry?" Puck stated, looking at the pair who were now doing whatever they 'normally' did.

"Rachel Berry has Advanced English sixth period with Mrs. Redon." Cali's eyes widened a bit.

"The girl who is probably blaming me for stealing her table to force her to sit with Finn, who she's not talking too. _Fun_." She sighed and then hit Puck's shoulder for the umpteenth time.

"Ow! Seriously Calista? _Seriously_?"

"One day with you and Finn, and suddenly I'm turning into my own damn antagonist. Wonderful."


	3. Thinking and Planning Fillerish

**Disclaimer:** Don't own a thing. Though, the things I would do to some of those Glee boys if I could own them.

**Author's Notes:** You guys are so awesome!! I would have had a speedier update, this chapter isn't too long, but, of course, I got sick and was bed ridden. Thank god for heating pads.  
ANYWAY this chapter is a bit of a filler, it has a little more insight into Rachel and Finn as a couple and as individuals on everything. Next chapter will, _and I swear to you_, have GLEE club, Puck&Quinn, and more interactions from the other Glee members. Thank you so much for the reviews and the alerts, you guys really make me feel so on top of the world! Hope you enjoy my filler thing, and Happy Readings!! (PS: I got into a fight with about uploading this chapter and had to manually correct the paragraphs and some of the format of the font, so I'm sorry if I missed anything.)

* * *

Rachel had left lunch a little early, hoping to have some time to herself. She moved her neck around, her pen doodling on the paper in front of her. Kurt had dropped the subject of Finn and Quinn and their respective breakdowns and had gone on a long winded speech about hair products and the importance of a fedora. She had only listen with a half ear, her eyes staring over at Puck and Cali's table.

The short haired brunette was somewhat violent. Rachel had counted her slapping Puck almost seven times. There was obviously a lot of pent up emotion. Then again, Rachel couldn't deny how many times she had wanted to get a stick and start wailing on Puck herself. Maybe, in her and Cali's defense, it was all Puck's fault.

A sigh echoed into her ears, her eyes looking over the doodle in the corner of her page. Little hearts and initials were swirled about, forcing her to shake her head and start shading over it.

She _wasn't_ ignoring Finn. And she would go to her grave swearing that fact up and down. She was not ignoring him. She was giving him space to recover and figure his emotional wreckage out. And you know what, that was good enough for her.

It may not have been good enough for Kurt, or Mercedes, or Puck, or Finn, but it sure as hell was good enough for her.

Seriously, it was just too damn hard. How many times had she allowed him to take advantage of her? To play and use her emotions like the strings on a guitar? To fool herself into thinking that she was different? He had just broken up with Quinn, two damn weeks ago. That was hardly a respectable enough of time for Rachel to swoop in. And, on that note, why the hell should she have to swoop in? If he wanted to be with her, wouldn't he be with her?

Rachel shook her head, her hand running the length of her face. He had spent the better part of Sectionals and the week after just staring at Quinn with an angry, longing look in his eyes. How could she have not noticed,? She was freakin' Rachel Berry. She was a level lower on the stalking chain then Kurt. Who couldn't see that Finn was still hurting?  
And Rachel Berry played second string to no one. Honestly, Finn had been frustrating her to the point of wanting to murder him. She couldn't, wouldn't, be the one to fill whatever void he may have had after Quinn.

Had she not been in a classroom, with the halls starting to fill up, and the bell about to ring, Rachel would have screamed.

Something caught her eye in the window next to the door. Noah Puckerman was standing outside of her classroom, his back to the door. Rachel raised an eyebrow, only to have her eyes widen as Puck stepped aside and the profile of Cali, hand on the door knob, could be seen.

Why wouldn't the short haired temptress have advanced English?

"I'll see you in Glee." Her voice was sing song, opening the door and scanning the empty room save for Rachel. "Ms. Berry, hi!" Rachel stared at her. "Mike told me you were in this class, so I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I sat next to you, maybe looked at some of your notes. I'm sure we're all in the same spot, my class in Seattle just got done reading Catcher in the Rye, fabulous book by the way, so I was hoping you guys were around that area?"

Rachel blinked once, twice, and then on the third blink had slowed done Cali's conversation in her head.

"We finished Catcher in the Rye a few weeks ago. We're on to the Memoirs of A Geisha."

"I think we were doing that later in the spring, but, it's always nice to be ahead!" Cali, who had sat in the desk next to Rachel, began unpacking a notebook.

"So, you're in advanced classes?" Rachel leaned back in her chair, studying the brunette.

"Just English." Cali shrugged, answering distractedly. "I'm in calculus as well but since they didn't have any openings I'm just going to get all my work from my old school and do it during my free period with Finn. Not that he's going to help me. That boy is a mess when it comes to numbers. Or words, really, for that matter."

"You and Finn remained really good friends, after all these years." She said it with no hint of a question. Cali looked up from her backpack and gave Rachel a small smile.

"I don't like him like that, if that is what you want to know. I know you like him. As does Kurt, right?" Cali nodded her head. "Puck told me that you two had some plot in your heads that I was here to romance Finn. I'm not here to woo him. Besides, with everything he's told me about you, I would think I should be the one a little intimidated. And, I totally will be, just not while your wearing that dress."

Rachel's eyes were the size of saucers, her mouth opened just slightly. She looked down at her dress and then back up to Cali who was smiling sweetly. One, Kurt was going to fall in love with this girl and two, Rachel felt the slightest bit guilty for judging the girl so hastily. But only just slightly, Cali seemed to have the same blunt reason as Kurt, especially when it came to clothing.

"He talked about me?"

"Please, he wouldn't stop rambling!" Cali rolled her eyes. "I thought you were some saint from the gospel that he had just newly discovered and decided to worship!"

Rachel could feel her cheeks heating up. "Finn Hudson?"

"Mm-hmm." The room had filled up, the bell ringing as the teacher walked in.

Rachel, blush and all, raised a single eyebrow, shooting Cali one more disbelieving look before focusing on the teacher and her studies.

---

Kurt walked out of the girls bathroom to see Finn standing near classroom 116. He racked his brain for a second trying to figure out which class was in 116. It had something to do with the liberal arts.

"Hey, whatcha doing?" Kurt walked over to the gangly boy, who shot him a small smile.

"Mr. Schue let me leave early so I could grab Cali, she's in my last two periods." Kurt nodded slowly.

"Fun." The two stood awkwardly for a few seconds. Kurt shook his head, flipping his bangs and straightening the strap of his bag. He opened his mouth, ready to say something witty or sensible. At least that was until the word vomit spilled from his lips. "She heard you and Quinn fighting the day we sang to Mr. Schue!"

Finn looked at Kurt, his mouth opening and closing. He closed his eyes, his fingers darting through his hair.

"She heard me and Quinn fighting? The day we sang to Mr. Schue? She saw me crying?"

"I believe so." Kurt tried to say it with an air of mystery, but there was no denying it.

"Is that why she's been avoiding me? Because I was crying?" The soprano's guilt washed away as the ting of annoyance filtered across his veins. He liked Finn, a lot, but lord have mercy.

"Finn, your lack of competence astounds me to almost wordlessness." Kurt rolled his eyes as Finn's wheels turned. "She thinks you're still in love with Quinn Fabray and she doesn't want to be the rebound. Which, I will admit was a bit of an over sight for all of us, but I guess when you assume she's going to simply jump you and she doesn't, we're all a bit thrown off."

"Yeah, she does have that whole crazy thing going for her." Finn nodded his head. "I was wondering why she wasn't stalking my house."

"There are no good bushes to hide in." Kurt stated as if he was making a remark about the weather. He cleared his throat as Finn looked at him with an even more confused brow. "Never mind."

"Did she see Quinn kiss me?" Kurt, who had been almost directly in front of the window to the classroom, was looking into the room at Rachel and Cali. Both whom were having a civilized conversation, the class broken up into pairs.

"Kurt? Hello?"

"They're in their together. And Rachel doesn't look like she wants to kill her. That traitor!"

Finn shifted and looked over Kurt's head into the window. He groaned, moving to lean against the lockers once again, his hand covering his face.

"This is not good. This is not good." Kurt, face almost completely pressed to the glass, looked over to Finn, his face distorting slightly.

"What has your panties bunched into a twist?" Finn shook his head, opened his mouth, closed it, gave a dirty look to Kurt, and then groaned again.

"Cali is going to tell Rachel _things_ that I would rather Rachel not know. And Rachel is going to tell Cali _things_ that I purposely left out."

"What makes you think Rachel is going to say anything to her? Rachel likes her matters to be private." Kurt took a step back from the door, folding his arms.

"You don't know Cali. There is just something about her that people, strangers, peers, random adults, they just tell her things."

Kurt stared at Finn for a hard minute before sighing and shaking his head. "You left some things out."

"I've known her since, well, before we were born. I know how to bite my tongue." Finn chuckled. "She's going to kill me."

"She is rather violent. I do sort of like her. From a distance." Kurt concluded, nodding his head.

"Oh, just wait, you'll love her by the time Glee is over. Everyone always does." Kurt raised an eyebrow in question, but had no time to talk as the door swung open and students started pouring out. His eyes lit up as Rachel stepped out.

Finn watched as Kurt grabbed Rachel's elbow and practically dragged her in the opposite direction of where Finn and Cali had to walk. He smirked a little as he watched Kurt's mouth move at an accelerated rate, keeping his voice to a very low volume.

"Hudson." Finn, distracted from Kurt and Rachel, looked down to see the top of Cali's head. Obviously Rachel had spilled the beans.

"Monty." He nudged her, frowning as her eyes found his. Oh, yeah, she was going to kill him.

"So, when I told you to divulge all the trauma of your sophomore year you thought it was intelligent, after telling me about your twisted little love triangle, that not only did you kiss Rachel Berry twice, but you ran away the first time and manipulated her to coming back to Glee?" Finn groaned again. "Great response, fabulous. OH! And you left out the part where Puckhead dated Rachel for the better part of a week. They made out, just so you know."

Finn's head swiveled to look at Cali. He knew that the something was happening between Rachel and Puck, but it went as fast as it came. He didn't spare it much thought. Rachel was too good for Puck, she knew it, he knew it, and Puck knew it.

"They made out?"

"Seems that Puck is the one with all the glory here, huh? First Quinn then Rachel." He closed his eyes tightly, his fingers squeezing the bridge of his nose. That was the one thing about Cali he couldn't really stand. Her ability to take the truth and make it hurt far worse then it should have. "I can't believe you would use her like that."

"I didn't use her!" The hallway seemed frozen at Finn's outburst. He let out a low growl grabbing Cali's arm roughly. He pulled them into Mr. Schue's classroom. "I didn't use her. I was an asshole, yes, but I didn't mean for it to happen the way it happened. When I kissed her, I meant it."

"Which time?" Cali gave him a look.

"Both times." He shook his head, letting go of her arm and leaning against on of the desks. "Do you know how hard it was loving Quinn and thinking I was going to have a baby, while having some weird mixed up feelings for another girl? A girl who has no qualms about showing and talking about her own feelings and sometimes other people's feelings. Do you know how much it hurt to watch Puckerman sing to Rachel and actually seem to care, openly. I had Quinn breathing down my neck if my stare lingered over Rachel for too long. I didn't use her. I may not have treated her right, but I didn't use her."

The two stared at each other for a long time. The late bell had already rang and the halls were basically empty. Even as the door opened the two continued to stare at each other with heated, angry looks.

"Hey Finn, Cali." Mr. Schue gave them a strained smile, realizing he was probably interrupting something. Finn was the first to look away, his angry stare turning into that of an emotionless look.

"Hey Mr. Schue." Cali, who was shaking her head, her facial expression hostile, had finally turned away from Finn.  
"I can still do my audition piece, right? Mr. Schuester."

"Of course. I am always happy to hear new talent." He smiled at her, receiving a tight lipped smile in return.

Cali started to walk out of the room, only to turn and look at Finn with darker, stormy eyes. "Just for the record, you can spin it anyway you want, you used her." And with a turn and a 'pf' Cali disappeared from the room.

Finn once again squeezed the bridge of his nose.

"Rough day?" Mr. Schuester nodded his head, walking over to his desk.

"I love her, to death, but she's a freakin' train wreck." Finn shook his head. "Or, she makes everything seem like a train wreck."

Mr. Schue laughed, nodding his head. "I had a friend like that. She was a total drama queen. Like Terri, actually, but not that evil." Fin watched as his teacher looked up in thought.

"Mr. Schue?"

"Sorry." The older man shook his head, leaning in his chair. "She's only been here for a day, how much damage could she have caused?"

"I told her about Puck and Quinn and Rachel told her about me and her. Cali has enough ammo to blow this place up." Finn had moved to sit on the long desk, allowing his book bag to rest behind him.

"You and Rachel?" Well, Finn reasoned with himself, let's just tell everyone about our sad little lives.

"I kissed Rachel. Twice. And I took her on a date to convince her to come back to Glee so we could win and I could get a scholarship. For the baby." Finn's voice had lowered immensely by the end of his schpeel, his cheeks lightly blushed in embarrassment.

"Ah, I see." Mr. Schue brought his hands up, folding them under his chin. "You and Rachel do have great chemistry on stage."

"Rachel has great chemistry on stage, period." Finn chuckled. "She's a piece of work."

"Oh, that she is." The teacher nodded. "I didn't know you two had a thing."

Finn had already started shaking his head as Mr. Schue spoke. "We didn't have a thing. We had a 'she knows she likes me, and she knows I kinda like her, but I have Quinn and a baby'."

Silence filled the room, both boy-men looking everywhere but each other.

Mr. Schue was the first to break the silence, leaning forward, and running his hand through his hair.

"I understand what you're going through Finn, I really do. It's confusing having feelings for more then one person, because you don't know who is going to be the best choice for you. It's even harder when you have responsibilities to one of those people." They made eye contact both aware that Mr. Schue was not just spouting off random truths. "This is not my place to say, so I apologize for that, but you don't have the responsibility to that other person anymore."

Finn nodded his head, dragging his eyes to look at the classroom door. His fingers went back to the bridge of his nose.


	4. Confessions and Submissions

**Disclaimer: **Don't Own a Thing

**Author's Notes: **_**PUCK/QUINN **_in this chapter, a touch of Glee, and a lot of Rachel/Kurt/Mercedes friendship. A little Finn/Rachel. Next chapter, will be chocked full, and probably not too much Cali, if any at all. Happy Readings!! R&R

* * *

"I am so sad with your choices." Rachel was barely acknowledging Kurt as he led her away from her classroom. She was looking over her shoulder at Finn and Cali who were both looking rather unhappy.

"What choices?" Mercedes gave the two a smile, only to frown as Kurt held his heated look. "What happened?"

"This traitor had a civilized conversation with California." Kurt shook his head. "I thought we agreed to dislike her in front of her." Mercedes gave him the eye. "Just to throw her off her confidant horse!"

"She was my partner for the class." Rachel stated, turning to face her two friends as they walked down the hall. "She rushed into the room and sat next to me, babbling some nonsense about Finn liking me so much and talking about me. As if he would ever."

Mercedes sighed as Kurt looked down at the ground. It was true. Finn kept his business to himself. Other then the Quinn and baby drama, Finn had seemed, not uncaring, but undecided about his fellow team mates. They all knew Rachel liked him and most of them had an inkling about Kurt, but no one knew where Finn stood. Other then straight, but Matt really had no business trying to help them figure it all out.

"Well, you know Rach, Finn might not talk about you to us, but California has been his friend since they were babies." Mercedes shrugged. "I'm sure he'll tell her things he wouldn't have even told Puck or Quinn."

Rachel sighed. "Not that it matters. He needs to figure his situation out. I may have played the understudy once, but it was a one time deal." She folded her arms. "Whatever, as I was saying, Cali and I became partners and we talked about Puck and Glee and Quinn and then Finn, again. I don't know, I ended up blurting out, well, some _things_ and she wasn't really too thrilled with Finn when we left."

"What are these damn _things_? And why have you not shared with the tour group! This is a place of education!" Mercedes gave Kurt a loud look which he promptly ignored. Rachel was blushing brightly, her hand covering part of her face.

"Because you would hate me." Kurt stopped in the middle of the hall, causing Mercedes and Rachel to stop a few steps ahead of him.

"Did you _sleep_ with him?"

"Oh, for the love of the virgin Mary!" Mercedes grabbed the boy's jacket, hoisting him back into their walk. "What is wrong with you? Of course Rachel didn't sleep with Finn?" Mercedes bent lower to Rachel's ear. "Did you sleep with Hudson?"

"No!" Rachel's face was a brilliant red, her hand doing nothing to save her embarrassment. "We may have kissed a couple of times, but the first time, even though he got really into it, he ended up jumping from me and running away. And then the second time he told me he didn't know what was going to happen in the future but he wanted to be with me now." Rachel sounded as if she was going to break into tears. "And then I found out about Quinn. It doesn't matter though, because I am done with him."

"You are very well not done with him." Kurt said in a sharp tone. "Obviously he has some sort of feelings for you. I don't know why you are so gun-hoe about denying it, but, that's your mental illness." Rachel and Mercedes turned to him, but Kurt continued. "You said he got really into the kiss and then suddenly just backed off?"

"Yes."

"And he didn't say why?"

"He just rambled on about not telling anyone what was going on or what had happened." The brunette made a 'tick' noise with her tongue and the roof of her mouth. "He's intolerable."

"He jumped up, after getting _into_ the kiss, and then ran away." Kurt had started nodding his head slowly, his lips forming a devious smirk. "Oh, Rachel."

"What?" Mercedes spoke up for the brunette who seemed to be confused. "What happened?"

"The reason, or well I'm about ninety-five percent sure, is because Finn had a little predicament in the downstairs region." He sighed as the facial expression on his friends' faces twisted in a mix of confusion and, was it disgust? "You see--"

"Kurt." There was a warning tone in Mercedes voice, her head shaking violently. The boy cleared his throat, nodding his head in understanding.

"My point was simply to point out that maybe there is more to this Finn romance then you think." Kurt waggled a finger in the air.

"It doesn't matter." Rachel shook her head, her blush finally creeping back under her cheeks. "He ran away, he lied, he _used_ me. And now, I have to here about how he feels from a stranger. It's not good enough." Mercedes and Kurt looked at her and then to the lockers and hallway in front of them. "It's not."

"You're right." The black haired girl nodded and swung an arm across Rachel's shoulders. "It's not good enough and we can't judge you for any of it. Not that we were going too." She sent Kurt a nod to the head which he returned.

"Ok, so let's just get the day over with and get ready for Glee. Cali is going to be singing a song for us."

Kurt once again stopped in the middle of the hall. "_What_?"

---

Finn slowed his pace as he neared the choir room. He had no idea where on god's good green earth Cali had disappeared too after storming from Mr. Schue's class, and part of him didn't really care.

To be honest, it was the part that had come to the conclusion that she had run to Puck. She _always _ran to Puck. _Everyone_ seemed to run their happy little behinds to the oh, so comforting arms of Noah 'Puckhead' Puckerman. It was enough to make Finn want to throw up a little.

Brown eyes looked in through the choir room door window, spotting Tina, Artie, and Rachel, as well as Mike and Brittany. Of course Rachel would be here on time. She always was on time. Well, that wasn't really the case, actually she had seemed to drift in right as everyone else drifted in for the better part of two weeks.

"You going in?" Finn closed his eyes, not even turning to look at the blonde haired girl. He was still too mad, too frustrated, too, on edge, especially when it came to all the lies and all the yelling and all the name calling.

He moved to the side, opening his eyes and looking at the ceiling. He could feel her eyes on him, hoping he would make eye contact or spare her a word. He felt the only words he could spare her, after all that happened, after sectionals, after their fight, was a simple 'leave me alone'. And it seemed too cruel to do that.

"You could try acting a little nicer." He looked down at the Spanish girl, her pony tail bouncing. "She does love you and you're the one that bought that thing into her life."

"What thing?" Finn's anger turned into that of confusion, his hands falling open from their fists.

"That girl." Santana snarled, her head beginning to shake.

It made sense, really, Finn thought to himself. Santana always had a thing with Puck, and now with the openness about the baby and Cali hanging on him, the Latina goddess was bound to get a little pissed.

"Cali and Puck aren't together. They don't like each other like that." He mentally winced, the look on Santana's face was scary as hell.

"You don't have to like someone to be sleeping with them." Finn's eyes widened slightly as the girl spun, her hair basically whipping him in the chest.

He was well aware that Cali and Puck would never sleep together, nor had they slept together, nor could they possibly want to sleep together. He couldn't go as far as to say Cali was like a sister to him, because when they were younger (and lord knows that neither he or Puck would ever admit it) they had crushes on her. But that wasn't the case anymore. Sure she was smart, pretty, and funny, but she was not their type. It probably helped that she still called them nick names and told stories about when the three had chicken pox.

Seriously, no one had reason to be jealous of Calista Liza Monty. Especially Rachel and Quinn. And, Finn figured, opening the choir door and stepping in, Santana.

"Finn!" He didn't have time to even register his name as a hand found his arm, leading him to the back of the room, away from Rachel, away from Quinn, away from everyone.

"What?" He looked at Kurt, his eyes darting to Mercedes who was making her way over to them.

"I had the most interesting conversation with Rachel." Finn's eye brow raised. That wasn't necessarily a good thing.

"Kurt, we talked about this." Finn turned to Mercedes who was sitting next to the stylish boy. His eyes fell back over to Kurt, his lips turned up in an almost evil smirk.

"So, you and our singing princess seems to have swapped loved stories, with your lips." Kurt was waggling his eyebrows, causing Finn to feel uncomfortable.

"I, um, don't know."

"Oh for all that is good and pure. Why haven't you made a move on Rachel? We know that you two have kissed, we see the way you look at each other, you went full out wackado when you realized she was purposely ignoring you." Mercedes closed her mouth and shook her head. "You better have a damn good explanation boyfriend."

Before Finn could open his mouth Cali and Puck walked in, followed closely by Matt and Mr. Schuester.

"Ok guys, I want to talk about some song ideas, but first, Cali asked if she could do an audition piece, since she's going to be with us for a while."

"Watch her burn." Kurt mumble, Finn shook his head, but refused to comment.

Cali stood in the center, making eye contact with every member before folding her hands in front of her and smiling over to the pianist.

"_I've made up my mind, don't need to think it over. If I'm wrong I am right, don't need to look no further, this ain't lust, I know this is love." _For the most part, the room was in a holy shock. Mouths were dropped open, eyes widened, hair on arms standing. She was not exactly a Rachel, but she was pretty damn good."_But if I tell the world, I'll never say enough, 'cause it was not said to you. And that's exactly what I need to do if I'd end up with you-- Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements, even if it leads nowhere? Or would it be a waste even if I knew my place, should I leave it there? Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements, even if it leads nowhere?_" She took a breath, winking into the crowd, her smile over powering."_I build myself up and fly around in circles, waiting as my heart drops and my back begins to tingle, finally could this be it? Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements, even if it leads nowhere? Or would it be a waste even if I knew my place, should I leave it there? Should I give up or should I just keep chasing pavements even if it leads nowhere?_"

Finn looked around the room, everyone, save for Cali and Puck, were in shell shock. Even Kurt, who had sworn up and down that the pixie-esque girl would have nothing to offer, was sitting with a tight lips and wide eyes.

"Cali, that was amazing!" Mr. Schue was the first to walk over to her, swinging his arm around her loosely. "I think that was one heck of an audition."

"Which means I'm officially part of Glee!" Without paying any mind to the fact that not one of her peers had said anything to her, Cali skipped up to Puck, smiling widely at him as he patted her back in congratulations.

"Ok guys! I wanted to discuss some song choices!" This seemed to ease the shock from the nine or so teenagers, as their voices mingled together in random song choices.

Finn simply leaned back looking over to Rachel who was unusually quite, Cali who was smiling and listening to the voices around her, and then Kurt who was still in a bit of surprise.

"Did you know she could sing like that?" Finn nodded his head, his eyes darting over to Rachel.

"I've heard better though."

---

Puck walked off the football field with an ache in his neck and a brain full of thoughts. He couldn't wait to get home and throw himself into the shower, a very long, hot shower. He should have never agree to some tag football after Glee. He should have just taken Cali up on her offer to buy him food if he would schlep around the mall with her.

Then again, he didn't want to be hanging around her too much, Finn was still pissed off enough as it was.

He started rolling his neck, stopping once he saw Quinn leaning against his truck. This couldn't have been good. Every time she decided to talk to him it ended with her being called a slut and him being called an asshole. And it didn't really sit well with him that their baby's parents couldn't get along for ten minutes.

"What's up MILF?" He smiled, nudging her shoulder as he walked to the flat bed. He threw his duffle over the side, leaning a safe distance from the blonde.

"Can you give me a ride to Brittany's? I had to stay after to talk with Ms. Pillsbury and Brittany's car is in the shop. Seems your girlfriend's tail feathers were rather ruffled because she didn't feel like waiting for me."

Puck nodded his head, walking over to the door and opening it for her, lending his hand to help her into the truck. He gingerly walked to the drivers side, pulling himself in.

"You asked Cali for a ride?" From the expression on Quinn's face, Puck had guessed the wrong person. "Not Cali."

"I didn't know she was your girlfriend." Her tone suggested she was sad, or possibly angry, Puck wasn't good with tones.

"She's not, but I know some of your friends in Glee keep insinuating she's mine and/or Finn's side order." Puck gave her a look, turning to start his car and drive out of the parking lot.

He could see Quinn turn to look out the window from the corner of his eye.

"I meant Santana. She seems a little threatened by Cali."

"She really has no reason to be. First and foremost, I have responsibilities, I don't have time for Latin Diva's tantrums. Secondly, me and Cali aren't into each other."

"If she was into you, then?"

"Wouldn't happen."

"She prefers Finn." Puck hid his growl, pausing at the red light to take Quinn in. She had turned to face him, her eyes a stormy color and her arms crossed.

"If you haven't noticed, and I know you have, because that is why we're having this conversation, Cali prefers me. She and Finn butt heads pretty heavily, I think it was because she was constantly around him, where as I was only around when I could be."

Silence enveloped the car, which Puck couldn't really argue against. He twisted his neck, satisfied as he heard the crack.

"You were looking at Rachel and Kurt's table a lot during lunch."

God must have truly hated him.

"Are you on crack or something?" Puck shook his head. "Jeez Quinn, I looked at Rachel and Kurt's table. I must be in love with Rachel. And, whoa, I'm friends with a girl who I have no ambition to sleep with, that's soul mate material. And let's not forget about Santana, the good lord knows I have no resistance to her temptation." He spared a glance in her direction, noting that her face was full of guilt. "What about _you_? Who was lying to her boyfriend about it being his baby because she didn't want a Lima Loser helping her? I hate to burst your bubble sweetheart, but you're the one who truly preferred Finn _Perfect _Hudson." Puck paused. "Other then Rachel. The two of you."

Silence once again filtered across the car, making no difference to either party. Puck sighed, stopping at a red light and moving to lean back into his seat.

"Why do you insist on making my life hell? Do you want this baby to come into the world with parents who don't ever stop fighting?" There were tears in her eyes and Puck mentally scolded himself.

"I'm sorry. I'm a little on edge."

"Because you think I want Cali or Cali wants me? Or because you think I want Rachel or Rachel wants me? I know this ain't no song and dance about Santana." There was no possible way this was about Santana because Puck had official given up his Latin vice. Not because he want to remain loyal or anything, just because it was too much on his plate.

"Do you love me?" It took ever single muscle in his body not to swerve his truck off the road. The word love had never, ever, bounced into any of his conversations. Or, well, that wasn't true. Girls _loved_ love. He knew that and when they started rambling he simply went off into his happy place. His happy place might not have been far enough for this conversation though.

"I'm sorry?"

"Do you love me?"

"Quinn," Puck swore under his breath. "Love is a really loaded word."

"A baby should be brought into this world by people who love each other."

"You love _me_?"

"No." Puck felt like screaming in frustration.

"Then why the hell are you bringing _that_ word up?" Damn her hormones to _hell_.

"Because I need to know if any of this is worth it!" Damn them to the deepest part of hell there is.

Puck remained silent until they had pulled into the safety of Brittany's drive-way. He sighed, allowing his head to fall back unto the head rest, his eyes staring at the faded gray ceiling of his truck.

"I can't give you love, Quinn. Not yet." He closed his eyes, images of Quinn with a baby, her smile bouncing across her face, the child dolled up in pink. "One day, maybe, way later in life. _Maybe_."

"Do you at least like me?" Puck looked at her, laughed, and then went back to looking at his ceiling.

"Of course I like you." He figured she would ask him to elaborate, so when the sound of the seat belt un-clipping reached his ears he was somewhat grateful.

"Thanks for the ride Noah." He threw her a smile, his hand going to the shift stick. He paused as she stopped, and turned to look back over the window at him. "It wasn't just the wine coolers or that I felt fat that day."

He watched her go into the house, his eyes a little wider then they had been. Something lifted in his chest, making the weight on his shoulders seem just the tiniest bit lighter.


	5. Where there's a will

**Disclaimer: **Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, don't own a thing, chicka, chicka, boom, boom. Which, by the way, I don't own _Chasing Pavements_ from the previous chapter, nor do I own _An Affair to _Remember in this chapter.

**Author's Notes: **Thank you so much to everyone who, Reviews, Altered, and/or added to Favorites, you guys are, Magnificent! And let me tell you, all these awesome Finn/Rachel stories are superb, they literally make my day a millions times better!

Anyway, there is a little Rachel and Finn in this, with Rachel/Kurt/Brittany/Tina friendship and a little (pequito) Finn/Puck friendship borderline thing. Next chapter should be up by Sat/Sun (if I don't murder some of the people I work with and end up in prison) and there will be fun good times, PROMISE! Hope you enjoy! Happy Readings! And R&R.

* * *

"All I am saying is maybe you should take it up a notch." Finn rolled his eyes looking at Kurt.

"I thought you, I don't know, I thought you didn't want me and Rachel to be together!" Mercedes snickered, hushing as Kurt threw her a pissed off look.

"I'm just saying that if you _like_ Rachel, you should do something about it. Personally, I don't understand the choices and feelings you are making and have, but why should I stand in your or her's way of happiness?"

"Because that's what you do?" Finn's voice had lowered as he ended his sentence, wincing inwardly as Kurt gave him a demonic look.

"I want my star back, Finn. Glee has been nothing but baby drama and tension sessions." Kurt flipped his bangs. "At least if you and Rachel are back on the same track, I wouldn't want to go on Youtube so often during practice."

"Is that your twisted way of saying you miss Rachel's performances?"

"I'll be the first to admit that I may have not been a true fan of Rachel, as a person." Mercedes made a noise in agreement with Kurt. "But I am one of her bigger fans when she opens that large mouth of hers and belts out the classics."

"She's the one ignoring me." Finn stopped in front of his car, wondering why Kurt and Mercedes were being so insistent on this topic.

"Then _fix it_."

-

-

-

Finn stared at his ceiling, his head aching slightly in his right temple. He was getting tired of people telling him to fix whatever was going on between him and Rachel. First Cali, and then Kurt and Mercedes. He closed his eyes, allowing his hands to fold underneath his head.

He wasn't quite sure how Wednesday night had turned into Saturday morning, but he wasn't about to complain. Cali and his mom had decided to do a girl's day and had disappeared around nine. The only reason he knew about this was when he woke up around eleven he had two voicemails, a text message, and a hand written note from them.

It was safe to say he felt slightly child-like. He was almost seven-teen, there was no need for his mother and friend to go so much out of their way for him.

After raiding the fridge, taking a shower, and watching a movie, Finn had gone back to his room to bask in the silence of his house.

Four days with Cali banging about the house and talking on the phone and being a general nuisance, made him appreciate being an only child. He had forgotten what it was like sharing a space with a girl like Cali. Quinn was pretty easy, she really didn't bother him all that much when she lived with him. Sure they hung out, but it was different.

Well, now it was just hurtful, but then, it was different.

He sighed and rolled over, staring at his alarm clock. It was just slightly after two, the day not even half way over.

Rachel.

It be a lie to say that she never crossed his mind. It be an even bigger lie to suggest that when she did cross his mind it was few and far between. This whole ignoring him thing, was driving him crazy. Maybe that was her plan, to ignore him and play hard to get. Maybe he was being wistful.

Cali, Kurt, Mercedes, Tina, Brittany, and Mike, thought he was being wistful. They had all assured him that she was not playing hard to get. She was not playing at all. They assured him that whatever was going on was his fault.

But, and he had thought about it since Kurt's demand for a solution, he technically hadn't done anything wrong.

Ok, sure, he had kissed her and ran away, and then manipulated her to come back to Glee, and he was definitely always disappointing her, but that was _before_ he had even broken up with Quinn.

Which, in retrospect, really didn't help his cause.

He turned to face back the ceiling.

What was he _suppose_ to do? Throw himself at Rachel? Proclaimed that he loved her and then break out into song? Admit that she haunted his dreams, his very _non_-innocent, drawn out dreams? Declare that he was happy that the baby wasn't his and just start making out with the singing princess?

It wasn't going to happen. He would admit to liking her, because he could no longer get away with denying it, but he wasn't really ready for the word love. And so what if every dream he had was about her in short skirts and low-cut tops. He definitely wasn't happy the baby wasn't his (even though he wasn't completely unhappy about it). None of it seemed good enough.

And she was the one ignoring _him_? Shouldn't she have to be the one to _fix it_?

Obviously not.

Finn let out a growl of frustration and swung his legs off the bed. He was not just going to sit around and let the whole world tell _him_ what he needed to do.

He stomped his way to the front hall grabbing his car keys. He dropped them and grabbed the other set of keys that were dangling next to his.

Cali would just have to live with the fact that Finn was going to steal her car for the afternoon.

---

It wasn't like he was stalking her. At least that was the reasoning he kept chanting to himself as he sat in Cali's car across the street from Rachel's house.

He had only gone to her house twice before, which had been for their bowling date and the Friday night they were suppose to practice. Grant you, both times had been dark and the house had seemed less, way less, intimidating. Now, though, in the afternoon light, the overly large, white, green shuttered house seemed way above him socially.

There were no cars in the driveway, the block itself seemed deserted, empty. Either he could wait until a car pulled up, praying it was Rachel's car, or ring the door bell and pray someone answered it. Neither optioned seemed appealing.

Sighing deeply, he turned the ignition off and opened the car door. The walk to her porch was slow and thoughtful, giving him the urge to turn around several times. This had to be done though, so with another sigh he lifted his fist and pounded on the door.

He waited five minutes, four minutes an twenty eight seconds, actually, before knocking on the door once again. Maybe no one was home.

Debating whether to knock again a muffled 'one second' could be heard through the thick door. Finn stood frozen, was it a high voice or a low voice?

He didn't have to think about it for long because as fast as the thought came the door swung open.

"Finn?" His eyes ran from the top of her head (her hair in a loose pony tail) to her face (which was void of any kind of make up) to her pink turtle neck (the sleeves cuffed at her elbows) to her gray pants to finally her pink socks. It was the first time he had ever seen her in something laid back, somewhat normal.

"Uh, hi." Wincing, because he sounded like a moron, he tried giving her a half smile. One which she didn't return.

"I didn't know you were coming over." She pulled her cell phone out, magically it seemed, and stared at the screen. "Did you call?"

"Uh," his hand found the back of his neck. "No."

Rachel stared at him, her face unreadable. She looked into the house and then back at him, stepping to the side. "Come in."

He had never actually paid attention to the inside of her house before. It was freakishly lavish. The floors were tiled a sparkling white, which matched the walls perfectly. Pictures and art work and landscape snap shots filled the white abyss with shades and lights and colors. The furniture was a deep wood with metal leaves and vine accents. Everything either sparkled or screamed wealth.

How had he not noticed this before? The image of Rachel in heels, a black skirt, and a corset rippled across his brain. Right.

"Your house is awesome!" Rachel, who had walked the length of the hall and disappeared into the kitchen, made a noise of gratitude. Finn followed her steps standing in awe of the large kitchen. It too was white with silver appliances and shiny counter tops. "Your house is so totally awesome."

Rachel let out a chuckle, nodding her head. "Thank you Finn."

He looked over at her, noticing the island was filled with bowls and eggs and spoons and flour. He also noticed she had slipped on a red apron over her outfit.

"Wow, you're like a regular Suzy homemaker." In his defense, he had heard his mom use the phrase to one of her friends. At the time, it seemed like a snazzy compliment. Now, with Rachel looking at him the way she was and the words playing in his head, he felt he had sounded like a jackass.

"Thank you." He could tell by her tone that she wasn't a hundred percent on if she should actually be thanking him or not.

He nodded his head, moving around to look at the various things in front of her. She was currently whisking something in a bowl, her eyes going between the fluff in her hands and the boy in front of her.

"I," he shrugged. "I wanted to see you.." His eyes fell over some sort of gadget as his hand picked it up. "Cool walkie talkie. Is this how you talk to your dads when they're around?"

It was her laugh that made him look up, her eyes trained to the bowl, the giggles slipping from those perfectly shaped lips.

"That's not a walkie talkie." She placed the bowl down, her eyes meeting his as she leaned over, gently taking the thing from his hands. "It's a baby monitor."

"Uh, why would you have a baby monitor?" His eyebrows knitted together, his eyes moving to find any other evidence of a baby.

"My neighbors have a ten-month old son, who I occasionally baby-sit on the weekends. They had tickets to an Art Gallery an hour out of town, so Elliot and I are spending the day together." She threw him a smile. "He's up in my room taking a nap."

Finn simply nodded his head. The sound of Rachel resuming her whisking as well as the sound of the static from the monitor, echoed across the white kitchen.

"I'm sorry." Brown crashed with brown, causing Finn's breath to hitch ever so slightly. "I am so sorry that I didn't break up with her sooner."

"She was carrying," Rachel paused. "She was pregnant."

"Yeah, but, I kissed you in the auditorium before I knew about that."

"So, what?" Rachel shook her head. "You would have broken up with her and went out with me only to have broken up with me when she tried to tell you it was yours." She let out a sarcastic laugh. "Finn, come on now."

"Ok, well, _look_," he growled, flinging his hands in the air, and moving away from Rachel, closer to the kitchen table. "I may not be the smartest guy you know, or the classiest, or the best dress. But I am sorry for everything I've done. Those kisses, those feelings, that stuff was real. Even though," his head moved from side to side. "It didn't really show too well."

"Finn, seriously, it's fine." Rachel shook her head. "You have a lot on your plate, and I mean, I don't totally understand, but I understand to the best of my ability why you didn't come running after me when you broke up with Quinn. I just wanted to give you space to figure out what you want."

"I want you."

"Are you sure?" His mouth instantly shut, Rachel's tone had twisted into a 'grown-up' type of tone. Ms. Pillsbury had used that tone on him hundreds of times when she wanted him to grasp what she was saying, at least whatever she was trying to say.

"Yes, I am sure." Finn squinted his eyes. "How can you even ask me that?"

"It's been three weeks Finn." Her voice raised. "Better yet, it's been months. You weren't sure after the auditorium, you weren't sure after the bowling alley, you haven't been sure about anything." She shook her head, sighing a little. "What makes this time, any different to those times?"

"Because I was confused! I thought I had a baby on the way, and that Quinn loved me, and--"

"So, am I your second choice? Are you sure about me now because Quinn doesn't love you?"

Well, damn.

Finn looked at her his emotions starting to boil up. He was sick and tired of everything turning into this circus act of jumping through hoops. He opened his mouth, only to shut it immediately, as a cry shrieked between them.

Rachel placed down her bowl, a sigh, or a whimper, or something, filtered out from her lips as she spun around. Finn watched her leave and then looked at the baby monitor. With in a second he was rushing behind her, following her steps.

He might not have remembered the interior of her house, but he remembered the way to her room. He pushed opened the door and stared at the scene in front of him.

Rachel was holding the chubby baby, who's face was red from crying. His black hair was brushed back, forming tiny spikes, his green/brown eyes staring at her and then at Finn.

She looked, well, he didn't know the words. There she was, in a apron, her hair pulled up, her face in a serene bliss almost, holding this cherub faced baby. Finn had always seen her as a star, she _belonged_ on the stage. But now, seeing her eyes sparkle, the baby turning and dropping it's face into the crook of her neck, Finn had to admit she belonged in this snapshot as well.

"I think we should finish this later." Rachel's hand moved up and down the boy's back, causing the child to let out a breath and pick up his head just to re-position it on her shoulder.

Finn opened his mouth just to close it and nod his head.

So much for being Mr. Fix-It.

---

"There should be laws." Rachel rolled her eyes, switching out a tray of cupcakes for another un-baked tray of cupcakes into the oven. Tina was sitting up on the counter as Brittany coo-ed over Elliot at the table.

"You know, I wasn't really expecting you to drive across town over this." Rachel raised an eyebrow. "I am quite capable of handling this on my own."

"Uh huh. And cows jump over the moon, every night."

"I love that nursery rhythm." Brittany offered, causing Elliot to burst out into giggles.

"Brittany." Kurt turned his head, shooting a look to the blonde.

"I think it's sweet that he tried to make amends." Tina stated.

"You know, new rule, everyone needs to call me before they do anything. Get dressed, show up at someone's house un-announced with declarations of love. Anything."

"You should have given him a chance." Tina threw a wooden spoon towards Kurt as he opened his mouth. "Maybe he would have said the right thing, at some point."

"It's not about him saying the right thing. This is about him knowing what he's saying and understanding it. He could tell me he likes me _all_ he wants. That doesn't mean he understands what that entails."

"Quinn was totally jealous of you." The three turned to look at Brittany, who had turned the baby to face outward on her lap. "It's true, that's the whole reason we joined Glee, Ms. Sylvester came after, but, originally it was for Finn watch."

Kurt turned back to Rachel, his palm pointing towards Brittany. "Exhibit F."

"You skipped several letters." Rachel stated, rolling her eyes as Kurt stamped his foot.

"Focus Berry!"

"Kurt! Please!" Silence fell over the kitchen, other then Elliot's gurgles. "I can't deal with this. I don't want to deal with this. Finn or Puck or you, for all I care, can like me as much as any of you want. It still doesn't change the fact that end of the day, every single one of you would leave me at the drop of a hat. I'm Rachel Berry, the freak."

Brittany, Tina, and Kurt said nothing, their lips sealed shut. It was Elliot who broke the silence, squealing loudly and pumping his tiny fists. The four turned to him.

"Thank you for your input." Kurt stated, off handedly. He sighed and turned to Rachel. "Look princess, I'm not saying that the road is going to be easy. But if you like Finn Hudson, half as much as I once did, then I know it's worth it to give him a shot."

"He threw eggs at me last year." Tina shook her head while Brittany let out a laugh.

"I remember that." Rachel shot her a look, shushing the giggles almost instantly.

"Doesn't matter. He wants to be with you," Kurt sighed dramatically. "He's admitted it to you, that's a huge step for him. He's a tad slow. He copies Brittany's math homework for heaven's sake!"

"I think what Kurt is trying to say, is that when you want to be with someone, you over look past discretions." Tina gave Rachel a smile.

She smiled back, groaned, and leaned into the Kitchen counter. "This isn't a teen romance, the popular kids do not, realistically, end up with the freaks."

"Well, sometimes they do." Kurt walked up and grabbed her hand. "I just need to know one thing." Rachel looked over to Tina and Brittany who were slightly confused themselves. "Did he really see you like this? You're a mess."

Rachel rolled her eyes.

---

He had been sitting at the park for almost two hours. He had watched various sport games and almost fifty games of hopscotch. There were kids and parents and families _surrounding_ him. But, he had argued to himself, it was a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, Lima was known for having a busy park on beautiful Saturdays.

He sighed and leaned into the bench, his eyes moving over the monkey bars and swing sets less then a hundred feet from him.

"Hey." He looked over and then forward again, his eyes narrowing.

"Dude," his tone was flat. "Seriously?"

"I had Jessica duty today, she wanted to come to the park." Puck sat down at on the edge of the bench, half expecting Finn to get up and walk away. He relaxed a little as a minute or so passed by and the taller boy remained seated. "Where's Cal?"

"Girls day with my mom." Finn's voice was still flat, but at least he was talking to Puck. It could have been a lot worse, Puck reasoned to himself, his eyes following his little sister as she raced around with some friends. "She got bigger."

"Dude, all she does is eat and run around. It's like babysitting a dog." Puck shook his head. "I wish Cali would have been around, I could have stuck Jess with her."

"She would have _loved_ that." The tension lifted slightly as Finn's tone lifted slightly.

"I'm really sorry ab--" Puck stopped as Finn's hand rose.

"I can't do that right now. You want to sit and make stupid talk, that's fine. But I," Finn shook his head, letting out a deep breath. "I'm not in the mood."

"Trouble in paradise?" Puck bit his tongue as the words flew from his mouth. He half expected Finn to throw himself at him. This did not happen though. Finn casually looked at his former friend, shook his head again, and then rolled his neck.

"Why did you date Rachel?"

"What?"

"Why did you date Rachel? You knew I liked her. Or you thought I liked her, you were the one who had brought it up to me that I may like her." Finn vaguely acknowledge that out of everything he may or may not want to know from Puck, this was definitely a bit out there.

"Um," Puck looked over to Finn. "Because, well, honestly, my mom wanted me to date a Jewish girl."

"That's it?" There was doubt in his voice. He could hear Puck sigh.

"The girl is hot. And you were busy off playing house. What did you care if I went after Rachel."

"Because you knocked up Quinn."

"And you were getting all the glory from it. Rachel was hot and available." Puck shook his head. "Are going to hit me for dating Berry? Because I gave you the Quinn thing, but I'm not getting my ass kicked because of a surprise attack again."

"You knew I liked her. Were you trying to impregnate both of them? Were you going for a record?" He was slightly proud of himself for keeping his voice at a normal tone.

"She wouldn't let me get to second base." Puck snorted. "She only went out with me to make you jealous."

Finn turned, staring at Puck as if he had stated he knew the secret to a long and happy life.

"And, once again, you're just left right out of that ever turning loop." Puck shook his head. "Dude, you don't even get how lucky you are, right? Do you know what it's like being with girls who only think about _you_? It's a real hit to the ego, because, come on now." Puck motioned to himself and then Finn.

"You had no right. You're a horrible friend."

"Yeah, I am. Cali beat me down half way to China with that as the excuse, so my punishment has been fitting." Finn look at him, sighed, and then stared forward. "Are you going to go after Berry?"

"She thinks I only like her because I don't have Quinn anymore and that I don't fully understand my actual feelings for her, or anyone for that matter."

"Wow, that's very insightful for you."

"No, not really, we got into an argument, and I guess she told Kurt, because he called me about an hour ago to 'explain it in Finn-ish'. I mean, I got the general gist that she didn't think I was serious."

"Then go prove to her your serious." Puck was looking at him as if he was stupid. Which, in retrospect, maybe he was.

Finn shook his head. "Just so you know, you're still an asshole."

Puck nodded, watching his little sister on the monkey bars. "You're still the guy that thought you could knock up a girl without having sex."

Finn punched Puck's arm, his eyes on Jessica as well. Puck made a 'tick' noise with his tongue, punching the taller boy back.

"This doesn't change anything."

"I know." Puck looked at him, smirked, and looked back at his sister. "Jessica! Don't jump on him! DUDE!" Puck jumped up and headed towards the monkey bars. Finn could help but laugh as he stood up. "I'm sorry Mrs. Baker! She's a biter!"

---

Rachel sat at her desk, going through various websites on her laptop. She had kicked Kurt, Tina, and Brittany out, shortly after Kurt began coming up with a week by week fashion plan. He was another one on her list.

She leaned back into her chair, her eyes focusing on the various posters on her wall. If life was only as easy as one of her classics. _An Affair to Remember _would be her favorite to live out. Save for the whole being crippled thing, but that was a slight oversight, Nickie still loved Terry in the end.

Rachel closed her eyes and folded her arms over her chest. Life was not getting any easier.

The door bell echoed across the house startling her. Her hand went to her chest as her eyes darted to the clock. It was nearing nine-thirty. Kurt, Tina, and Brittany were doing something musical related, but she was pretty sure they would have called if they were going to show up at her house. And she had talked to Mercedes, but the fashion forward diva had said nothing about hanging out.

Standing up, she walked over to the window, scrunching her face as the street looked just as dark as it had not even twenty minutes ago.

A knock on her door made her jump once again, her father smiling as he opened it.

"Dearest, a young man dropped this off for you. I asked if he wanted to see you, but he said that he knew you were probably busy." Rachel stared at her father, the short one with glasses, and nodded her head.

"Did he say who he was?"

"He did, but I am not allowed to tell you." Her dad winked, handing her a pink envelope.

"Daddy…"

"I don't think it was foul play." Her father ruffled her hair. "My little princess is growing up." He turned and opened her door to walk out, just before stopping and spinning to look back at her. "Your father wanted me to tell you that if you need him to file a restraining order to just let him know."

Rachel stared at her closed door and then at the envelope in her hand. Obviously her fathers were on something. Something very strong.

Flopping onto the desk chair she gently started opening the envelope, her hands shaking slightly. It was a simple white card with scrolling lettering that she didn't recognize.

'_Dear Rachel, Please meet me in the auditorium at lunch on Monday. It would mean the world to me. Yours truly._'

Obviously lots of people were on crack. Or something very strong. She closed her eyes, allowing her head to move forward and lay on her desk.

She had always hated surprises.


	6. You'll Find a Way

**Disclaimer:** Don't own a thing! The song in this chapter _Find a Way_ is by SafetySuit circa 2008.

**Author's Note:** Rachel/Finn… sort of. Puck/Quinn. Lots of Rachel/Kurt friendship. Hmm… Lol, I am completely and utterly in love with the song _Find a Way_. LOVE it. I highly recommend down loading it, because, squee. Ok, Ok, I'm fine. ANYWAY, this chapter is a little trippy, I guess, but I loved how it turned out. Seriously, I would marry this chapter. I especially love the last two scenes, I think I did a good job with the Cali/Puck friendship (angst, of course) as well as the auditorium scene. But that's just my praise for myself. ANYWAY, Happy Readings and thank you so much for the reviews and alerts and everything! R&R

((P.S.: **Silently Tearful**, the baby is just a neighbor's son that Rachel was watching for the day. I just through him in to give a little more shape to the scene and characters. And a HUGE thank you to **klg77**, because, seriously, you are my new best friend, your review was SO sweet! I was reading it on my lunch break and almost busted into tears at the store I was in. This chapter is def for you, and I hope you enjoy! I hope everyone enjoys, because you are all, uh, brilliant!))

* * *

Rachel was laying on her bed, her eyes staring at her ceiling which was covered in various sized silver colored stars. They shimmered, even in her dully lit room. A sigh escaped her lips, her eyes shifting towards her closet, various things flying from deep with-in. Her head moved back to her stars, her brain shifting from the present time to when she was younger. To a time where little plastic stars on her ceiling made her feel insignificant to their magic.

When she was younger, it had been as simple as jumping onto her bed and counting the fifty or so stars. That was it. She didn't have to think about consequences or rewards or, hell, other people. She was a star, which is why she slept in their presence. It was a metaphor.

Sort of.

Closing her eyes, she rolled over, bring her knees up to her stomach. All she wanted was to have someone, someone she _liked_, like her back. Not because she was extremely smart or because she could sing, but because she was Rachel. And now, honestly, she wished she was back to everyone just avoiding her and making fun of her behind her back. She could live without the slushy facials however.

It wasn't suppose to be this hard. He _knew_ she liked him. Even if she was just a back up, it was the perfect rebound. It shouldn't have even come down to her being a rebound. He _should_ have broken up with _her_.

And,_ hell_, he went bitching to everyone that she was ignoring him, but he _let_ her ignore him. He didn't come to her, he didn't go out of his way, he didn't do _anything_. A sad little look when she gave away her duets, or an attempt to grab her hand only to retract it before it reached her, didn't count.

Not by her standards at least.

And now he was ready to like her back? Or admit to liking her? It wasn't freakin' _good_ enough.

Was it?

"OK!" Rachel's eyes shot open, her body flipping over slowly to stare at Kurt who had emerged from her closet. "I have decided that you'll be wearing this adorable little pink dress thing," he had held up said article of clothing, Rachel's eyes running dully down it. "With this frilly little black jacket, and I think we should put your hair in a pony tail with black heels." He looked at her. "OR!" Rachel placed a hand on her face. "You can wear your black pleated skirt, Mary Jane heels, that Brittany is willing to lend you, and a white button down shirt, with, hmm," Kurt looked up in thought. "A pink undershirt. I think I like that one better. We can curl your hair."

"This is stupid." Kurt lowered his arms. "This is so stupid. I know Finn did this, and you can pretend not to know anything, but I still know. And I told him he wasn't sure and it's too soon."

Kurt sighed, moving to gently lay her clothes out on a chair. He walked over to the bed, sitting high up so he could lean against the mass of pillows at her headboard.

"Rachel, I know this has been hard, you know, liking him and being mistreated, while still rising up to be a good friend. I'm not saying that this is his doing, for all we know it could be some random stranger." He rose an eyebrow as she looked at him doubtfully. "But it can't be easy liking someone who doesn't understand what they're doing hurts you."

She sighed, knowing that if anyone would understand, it was Kurt. He understood, and she knew, because he was going through it as well. She knew he still liked Finn, and she couldn't have been more grateful to him for being so good to her.

Her hand found his, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I just don't want to get disappointed again." There was a slight squeeze back.

"I don't blame you, one bit."

---

Quinn walked into school on Monday, her head filled to the brim with thoughts. She knew something was going on, because Brittany had spent the better part of Sunday on the phone with Kurt and Tina. Which Quinn thought was really good, actually, what with all the baby drama and Santana being bitchier recently, Brittany didn't really have their dynamic trio. And, honestly, Glee was slowly rubbing off on the bubbly blonde. She was a lot less mean and snide, and had even been getting better grades (thanks to Artie and Mike's little tutoring sessions).

And, even though Quinn would deny it, Glee was rapidly rubbing off on her. Of course there were still some kinks to work out, mostly concerning Finn, but they paled in comparison to what she was up against in the beginning.

She shook her head, smiling as thoughts of one her team mates, who was definitely breaking down her walls, splashed across her brain. Puck had been so much more attentive after she admitted that there was more to their sexual tryst then she had originally led on.

Because, after all, there had been quite a bit more to it.

Sighing, she moved to the side, avoiding getting smashed between two seniors. No one had any consideration for anyone else these days. As she walked along, to her locker, he thoughts returned to Puck and, which she guessed went hand in hand with him, Finn.

She really did like Finn. It might not have always shown, but she did. She had wanted to date him since eighth grade when he won their junior high baseball game against their rivals. She had wanted to pursue him when he had gone to the Sadie-Hawkins dance with Bianca Liberty in ninth grade. Bianca wasn't half as pretty as she was, but Finn never cared about things like that. Which did everything for Quinn's crush on him. He was quirky, innocent, naïve, nothing like any of her parent's stuck up friends' sons. Chandler and Michael and David were snobby and inconsiderate. Finn was charming and cute, and above all else a gentleman.

Noah Puckerman, on the other hand, was a Neanderthal.

She had known both of them for years, only really becoming acquainted with them in eighth grade. There was no rhyme or reason for Finn and Puck to be friends. Finn was goofy and sweet, where as Puck had badass written up, down, and sideways across him. He was always in detention and had a thing with being lewd with girls. There was no saving grace to Puckerman, no matter how you spun it.

She stood at her locker, smiling as she noticed Puck walking down the hall.

There was no saving grace until she had found herself wrapped inside his arms. They had been at a party, a little less then a month before she had decided to go out with Finn. She had been drinking (something she rarely did). Some senior, Robbie, Robin, something with an 'R' tried to feel her up. She remembered squealing and squirming from him, only to hear a loud crunch, and see the unsuspecting senior on the ground.

She did what any other respectable girl would have done, thrown herself into her savior, crying hysterically. Puck had assured her, this was not the correct way to respond, but had comforted her none the less.

She never forgot the little deed and neither had Puck. He seemed to be everywhere around her, helping her with her books and flirting with her. It only got worse after she started dating Finn. He would sneak pokes at her side, slipping her dirty (yet enticing) notes in class.

And little did she know, as she called him, after having some ridiculous fight with Finn (that was over by the next morning, even though she swore they were going to break up), that Puck would once again swoop in with a comforting shoulder. As well as some wine coolers, but she tended to leave that detail out of their twisted non-fairy tale.

"What up MILF?" He had _earned_ the saving grace she silently bestowed on him.

Quinn's smile turned into a frown as Cali appeared from behind him. The girl gave Quinn a smirk. She was wearing jeans and black shirt, a large letterman jacket hanging around her.

"Is that _yours_?" Quinn looked over at Puck, noticing that he was not currently sporting his jacket.

"Huh?" He squinted at the blonde, before looking at Cali. "Oh, yeah, the vixen here stole it from the backseat of my truck." He gently pulled the shoulder, dropping it back onto Cali.

"I like it!" She gave him a smile, her hand gently trailing over his sleeved arm. "Meet me at Finn's locker."

"Um, no, we talked about that." He gave her a meaningful look, causing Quinn to once again stare at Cali.

"You guys took a _big_ step on Saturday!" She shook her head. "Pig heads."

"Yeah, ok, bye now." He smirked as Cali rolled her eyes, continuing to walk down the hall to Finn's locker.

Quinn watched as Puck followed Cali down the hall before turning back to her.

"What's up?"

"UGH!" Puck jumped, taking a step back. "You two _are_ sleeping together, aren't you? I know you said that you aren't and Santana keeps insisting that it has to be true because you won't sleep with her. And I can just _see_ the way you two look at each other. Just tell me she's not sleeping with Finn as well! OH GOD! You guys aren't having a three-some, are you?" Quinn was in tears, Puck's image in front of her blurry.

"Did you take the crazy pills this morning?" Puck shook his head, his hands going to steady Quinn's shoulders. "Cali and I are _not_, not, sleeping together. She is not sleeping with _anyone_, I think." Puck paused, making a disgusted face. "I hope not." He shook his head. "She is one of my closest friends. If you two didn't hate each other, I would have to request she be an aunt or god mother, or whatever you Christian people do."

He thought he had calmed down the cheerleader, only to take a breath in as a new set of tears began to roll down her face.

"She _hates_ me?"

---

Rachel's eyes kept darting over to Finn's lab table. Cali was sitting by herself, her chin in her hand, the letterman jacket spilling over her frame and lab chair.

'**Where's Finn?**' Rachel scribbled across the piece of paper, rolling it up and tossing it over to the black hair girl. She watched as perfect manicured fingers unraveled the note, hazel eyes moving from the white paper to Rachel and Tina (who had turned to see what was going on).

Rachel watched as Cali's pen looped around quickly. Perfectly manicure fingers folded the note quickly flipping it back over to Rachel. Tina leaned close her eyes moving almost faster then Rachel's.

'**Said he had to take care of some stuff.**'

"Like what?" Tina whispered. Rachel looked at her and then back to Cali who held no secretive smile or knowing sparkle.

'**Is he ok?**'

'**Yeah. He told me not to expect him until seventh period.**'

'**Did he tell you what he was doing?**'

'**Nope. He said that I had a big mouth and then left me.**'

Rachel picked up her head to look at Cali who simply shrugged. Tina made a noise, taking the paper from Rachel's hands.

"Do you know?" The blued hair girl looked at Rachel, shaking her head.

"_I'm _not friends with Finn. Why would I know anything?" Rachel sighed, dropping her own chin into her hand.

Touché.

---

Cali walked down the quiet hall to the auditorium, her head in a fuzzy place. She was anxious about what was going to go down in just a few minutes. She twisted her neck to the left and then to right, breathing in deeply. How she was missing her yoga classes.

As she turned the corner an arm darted out from no where, pulling her into some sort of closet. Her hands instantly went in front of her, feeling the hard, warm presence of another human being. She opened her mouth to scream, only to stop and stare as a light filled the tiny space.

"Puck?" She growled, the mohawked boy smirking down at her. She smacked him and took a step back, leaning against the door. "Are you on crack? What the hell are you doing?"

"Quinn thinks we're sleeping together."

"So, you thought it was a good idea to pull me into a supply closet which is every high school teen movie's clichéd place to make out or score a quickie?"

Puck opened his mouth, tilting his head to the side. "That may not have been a good idea on my part."

"You think?" Cali rolled her eyes. "What do I care if prima ballerina thinks we're having sex? Obviously, the concept is not foreign to her."

"Maybe, you could, I don't know, talk to her for me?" Puck's face had fallen into that of a look of defeat. "She cried all morning. I'm about ninety eight percent sure it was because of hormones, because she's kind of crazy these days, but maybe if she hears it from you, she won't be _so_ crazy."

The brunette shook her head and sighed. "Whatever Puckhead. I'll talk to her tomorrow. I have more pressing matters today." Before she could turn around to make her escape, Puck grabbed her arm.

"Yeah, I figured, everyone is a buzz with something, at least everyone in Glee, besides Quinn, Santana, and me."

Cali nodded her head. "Yes, and?"

"What's going on?"

"I'm not telling you." Her voice was flat and her eyes hard.

"Uh, why?"

"Because it has to do with Finn, and I know you two had some kind of _These Our the Days of Our Lives _moment at the park, but he's still ticked off at you. And if I tell you, you'll tell Barbie, and I don't know the girl well enough to judge how she's going to react to this good, yet easily could go bad, idea of his."

"It has something to do with Rachel, doesn't it?" He raised an eyebrow as Cali's eyes widened slightly.

"You _don't_ like her, right?" There was a certain tone, an infliction as she said it. He was never good with tones.

"Uh, no. I definitely do not like Berry." He shook his head, his arms crossing menacingly across his chest. "Why are you constantly accusing me of doing things?"

"Because, honestly," her voice mimicked his own tone. He never realized how intimidating he could sound until someone shoved it back into his face. "You're always _doing_ shit, Noah. You're always looking out for one person, which is great, fabulous, go with it. But then, you don't think about the consequences. You don't think about who may get hurt or who may get rewarded. It's all about the instant gratification of Noah Puckerman."

He stood, speechless, his arms loosening, falling to his sides. The girl had an angry sort of pout taking up her mouth and eyes. She shook her head and opened her mouth, only to stop as Puck raised his hand.

"No, _no_, you know what? They were suppose to break up!" Cali looked at him, her eyes narrowing and then widening. "Quinn called me up crying about some petty little fight she and your golden boy had. She went on and on about how she had no one to talk to and that she just wanted someone to talk too. So, I went over to her house so she could talk to someone." Personal space was not an issue between the two as Puck stood inches from her face. "I had brought over wine coolers because I had been drinking them _prior_ to her phone call. _Prior _to her even acknowledging me. Contrary to _your_ belief, I've liked Quinn for a while. Before she started dating Finn, before I knew she even liked Finn or vice versa.

"But, then again, why would you consider that, right? I'm just your jackass friend. So, contrary to the belief that I slept with Quinn so I could get a taste of the Finn Hudson glory, there was actual feelings behind it. I didn't plan on sleeping with her. I didn't plan on her crying into my shoulder which then led into us kissing, or the short trip to her bed. Didn't plan it, _at all_.

"And before you get on your high horse, _Monty_, let the record show that you have been nice and somewhat pleasant to everyone save for Quinn. And that's because of Finn." Puck growled, his nose practically touching Cali's nose. He swung himself backwards, throwing his arms into the air and then leaning against his arm on the opposite wall of the tiny closet. "You love me. You love me just as much as you love Finn. We're friends. We were _best_ friends." He turned to face her. "Maybe you haven't noticed, or you've forgotten, I don't know, but Quinn is the mother of my child. Whether she keeps it or gives it away or whatever she decides, she'll always be the mother of my child." He was frowning at her, his hand reach for the door. "And the next time you decided to come here, singing the glory and praise of Finn Hudson, you just remember that no matter what, I was always there for you, too."

Cali lifted her hand to grab his wrist, only to drop it back to her side and look at the ground in shame. She listened as he opened the door, allowing a cool burst of air to hit her. As the door shut again, she shifted to lean back against it, bringing her hands to her face. The scent of Puck, in his letterman jacket, flooded her senses.

---

Rachel walked into the auditorium, gently making her way to the middle of the theater, sitting daintily to face center stage. She had not seen Finn all day. She looked around the empty theater, her eyes landing back onto the stage.

She had been praying all morning that this was one, not a joke, and two, not some embarrassing little dog and pony show.

The sounds of the doors opening behind her made her swivel in her seat, staring as Cali walked down to the row behind her. The brunette's face was red, her eyes puffy and pink. Puck's letterman jacket was resting in her arms, rather then taking over her shoulders.

"Are you ok?" Rachel didn't even register it was her voice until Cali looked at her, with a tight lipped smile.

"Oh, I'm fine. This is your show, little lady, turn around." The girl gave Rachel a wink, before sitting down a seat or so away from her.

Before Rachel could interject another word or two the doors opened once again, this time revealing Kurt, Mercedes, and Tina. Kurt gave her a bright smile, moving to sit next to her.

"What are you guys doing here?"

"You think I'm going to miss the show?" Mercedes shook her head. "I don't think so."

"We've been dying to see what he's come up with!" Kurt nodded his head excitedly. "I helped with his fashion woes."

Tina simply waved, her own knowing smile bursting from her face. Rachel stared at them, debating whether she should beat them or be happy they actually cared about her. She turned to the stage, her mouth opening as Artie rolled over to a band that had magically appeared. He was giving her thumbs up, his guitar in his lap.

"Oh good god." Rachel mumbled, earning a nudge in the side from Kurt. He gave her a look and shook his head.

She took in a breath, leaning back into her seat as the lights lowered and a slow rhythm swam across her ears. She looked around, her eyes springing open as Mike and Matt appeared on stage, smiling brightly and both moving their lips to the music, not singing lyrics, but rather humming notes, almost.

And then, his voice filtered across the auditorium.

"_Hold on, what's the rush, what's the rush we're not done are we? Cause I don't need to change this atmosphere we've made if you can stay one more hour, can you stay one more hour?_"It was breathy and sweet, he was very well not belting out the lyrics as they normally did, but rather singing them softy to her. "_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me, you know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay_."

He was wearing a pair of khakis with a baby blue button down shirt, his eyes were bright and shiny, watching her, and her alone. Rachel's breath was caught in her lungs, tears dotting the corners of her eyes. Her fingers were holding onto the arms of the chairs, her body leaning forward towards him.

"_Hold on, I'll be here when it's all done you know. Cause what's the point in chasing if I can't enjoy your face and we can't be wrong tonight, can we be wrong tonight? You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me. You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay. I don't care what clothes you wear, it's time to love and I don't care. You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me._"

Kurt and Mercedes were holding hands, swaying to the slow beat and heavy weighted words. It was Kurt who had turned to see Rachel at the edge of her seat, her hands no longer on the arm rest, but rather clenched together on her lap. He couldn't help but shake his head and smile.

Honestly, if someone had told him that Rachel Berry would have had two of the most popular guys in the school serenading her, Kurt would have jumped into the trash can himself.

He once again shook his head, his hand gently patting Rachel's shoulder as he smiled to the stage.

"_And if I was running, you'd be the one who I would be running to. And if I was crying, you would be lining the cloud that would pull me through. And if I was scared, then I would be glad to tell you and walk away, but I am not lying, I am just trying to find my way in to you._"

Cali was eying Finn and then Rachel, her hand moving to hold her face. She leaned back into her seat, pressing her emotionally tired body into the cushioned back. She allowed Finn's voice to sweep across her brain, allowing her to take a break from Puck's words. Allowing her to focus on her friend's happiness before residing to the guilt of another friend's misery.

"_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me. You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay. I don't care what clothes you wear, it's time to love and I don't care. You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me._"

Rachel knew the song was almost over, her eyes glued to Finn's. A month ago, four months ago, if any one had told her that this was going to happen; that she would be part of a group who cared about her, as much as she cared about them; that she would fall in love with someone so above her, only to have him like her back; that she was going to be _ok_ in the end, she would have laughed.

As Finn sang to her, his voice rising to finish his song for her, all Rachel wanted to do was cry. And, for the first time, in a circumstance unrelated to her singing or winning, it was out of happiness.

"_And if I was running, and if I was crying, and if I was scared, you know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_."


	7. The Very Beginning?

**Disclaimer: **Oh the fun I would have if I owned Glee. Sigh.

**Author's Note: **Uh! I am so sorry for the update! Work has been CRAZY, like depressingly, annoyingly, I'm going to go postal on their asses, crazy. And I'm getting away with everything because my boss just figures it's stress and a hormonal imbalance on my part. ANYWAY, I've been sick and, basically, a hot mess all week, so I am so sorry for the delay. This chapter is a little weird, but it sets up for some humorous fun good times next chapter. Yay! There is a bit of Rachel/Finn (Next Chapter is going to be so much fun to write! Hehe!) and a lot of Puck/Quinn, and some Kurt/Puck interaction.

Thank you so, so much for the reviews! I loved them! And I really do hope you all enjoy this chapter. Next chapter will be CHUCK full of FINN/RACHEL, I promise, it'll be a perfect Finchel treat to all you amazing people! And a big thank you to klg77, because you are just so sweet!

Ok, ok, hope you enjoy! And keep an open mind. I'll try and update ASAP! Happy Readings!

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Rachel and Finn sat on the stage, their legs dangling off the edge. Finn was rolling the microphone between his hands as Rachel stared out into the empty audience.

They had missed their lunch period, and were now officially late for sixth period. Rachel had reasoned she would simply get the notes from Cali as Finn simply figured Mr. Schue would understand.

Fin had been congratulated by everyone in the theater. At least everyone besides Cali and Rachel. He had watched as Cali stood up, slowly creeping out the back way as Kurt, Mercedes, and Tina rushed down with praises. He figured something was off because she didn't turn to shoot him a smile or a thumbs up.

His eyes shifted to look at Rachel, who had begun to kick her feet back and forth. She hadn't said anything, not one word.

"Um, Rachel, I'm beginning to think that you thought I did a bad job or something." His stomach began knotting as their eyes met and a smile crossed her face.

"Your performance Finn," she shook her head, looking towards their feet. He sucked in a breath, his heart beginning to jump in erratic beats. "Was amazing." Their eyes locked again, brown and brown colliding at intense speeds.

It be a lie to say that Finn didn't feel as if a fret train was about to crash into him. In a good way, of course.

"You think so?" He didn't realize how low his voice had turned until the echo twisted back into his own ears.

"You were absolutely brilliant. I started crying." She laughed, her eyes moving from his in embarrassment.

"I don't think I have ever made anyone cry with my singing before." He chuckled, pausing to look up thoughtfully. "Well, expect for my grandmother, it was her seventieth birthday."

Rachel shook her head, moving closer to him, her hand gently resting on his. "Either way, you did an amazing job. That song was quite beautiful."

"SafetySuit, they have some really good songs." Finn gave her a smile, his hand turning under hers. He watched as their fingers seemed to weave into each other.

"This is a bad idea, Finn." The simple fact that her hand stayed entwined with his gave him a hope. Not much hope, but enough to gently squeeze.

"I promise you are not second choice. And you are not a rebound. You're just," he shrugged, leaning his face closer to hers. "Rachel."

She smiled, her head gravitating to his. They were staring at each other, foreheads touching. The corniness of the situation, Fin thought, his fingers dancing with hers, was astronomical. But he didn't care.

"You do realize how much work this is going to be, right? You _understand_?" Finn nodded his head, his face moving closer.

Everything was racing. His pulse, his heart, his brain, he couldn't focus on anything but her lips and the way they were moving. He _did_ understand. He understood so _perfectly_. He had a lot to make up for and he was willing to work for it. _For her_.

Somewhere, on some level, in his big bulky body, he knew that he should have given up on Quinn, and been with Rachel. He was tired of putting himself, and his popularity, and the thoughts of other people above Rachel. Above the person who had given so much to him already.

Inching closer, his hand detangled from hers, moving up to the base of her neck, into her hair. Her shampoo was intoxicating his sense, creating a fuzzy atmosphere. Each touch, sound, breath was heightened.

Just as his face leaned to the perfect angle, his hand slipped further in her hair, his lips landing on her cheek. His eyes shot opened, his hand falling to the stage and his body shifting back from her.

She was staring out into the empty theater, her hands folded on her lap, her chest rising and falling slightly faster then it should be.

"What's wrong? What happened?" His hand rose and rested on her back.

"Finn, I can't. Not here." She began shaking her head, her eyes being casted to her lap. "Not here. We should go out, maybe, Saturday." There was a nervousness in her tone and he caught her beginning to wring her hands together.

"Ok." He smiled, forcing her to look at him. "Saturday is perfect. It'll be like a first date. It'll be more special." He was nodding his head, the smile tight lipped. "We'll go somewhere really nice, and it'll be really cool." He was babbling, but he couldn't help himself.

Disappointment and, well, _something_ else was running through his veins like blood. He just wasn't sure what else it was.

His hand dropped from her back, her eyes moving to her lap.

"Great."

"Awesome."

Neither of their tones suggested the proper emotion to their words.

Rachel sighed, her hands still wringing and her eyes staring at her lap. Finn simply stared into the empty auditorium, his brain trying to slow his emotional blood rush.

---

Quinn wasn't a hundred percent sure how she had begun walking to her eighth period class, only to end up in the choir room, but it all made that much more sense as she stared blankly at the tiny brunette swimming in Puck's jacket.

"Um, I don't know if you're aware of this or not, but I have a class to get too. I'd rather not be skipping it." That wasn't the truth. But, as Quinn looked at the brunette, her stomach began to quickly churn. She didn't want to go to class, but she sure as _hell_ didn't want to be in a room with Cali by herself.

"Look, Quinn, I know you have a class, and I know you probably don't really care about it."

"How do you know I don't care about it?" Quinn threw her chin into the air, looking as snootily as she could.

"Because you have basic health. Which I know they don't really talk about sex that much." Cali's eyes darted to Quinn's swollen stomach. "But I'm figuring if they decided today was the day, it wouldn't really have any educational value for you."

"I really have no idea why you would think I would want to talk to _you_." Quinn could see the brunette resisting the urge to roll her eyes. A sigh escaped from painted lips as Cali made her way past Quinn towards one of the chairs that was already set up.

"I'm not sleeping with him. Nor have I ever slept with him. At least nothing besides a few camping trips." Cali crossed her arms, leaning into the back of the plastic chair. "I am not trying to steal him or turn him against you. I think him stepping up to this whole father thing," she shook her head. "It's amazing. Puck rarely stands up to me, about anything, and yet every time I turn around he's standing up for you and your child."

Quinn stared at Cali, her mouth opening and then closing. She sighed and walked over to the lined chairs, flopping a chair away from the pixie girl.

"I didn't plan this, you know. I wasn't being a _whore_."

"I did not know you knew I called you that." Cali looked, well, impressed actually. Quinn looked at her and then back towards the door.

"I didn't know. It seems easier to just assume everyone considers me a whore." Cali looked at her and mouthed a small 'oh'.

Perfectly manicured fingers ran through the thick straight hair. Quinn looked, somewhat weary, as Cali began smirking, her head shaking slowly.

"Are you having some form of mental disorder symptom?" Cali looked at Quinn and shook her head.

"My mom and dad were never married. I didn't even know I had a father until my mom ran into some financial woes and called him to come bail us out. He's been my bail out, cash wise, since then." Quinn's eyebrows were raised high into her forehead. "There's a point, I promise. Anyway," Cali took a deep breath, laughing. "Suddenly, I was wearing nicer clothes, sporting cuter hair cuts, shoes, book bags, you name it. So, of course, at the delicate age of nine, these two boys started making fun of me. Some twisted Cinderella bullshit.

"They would tease me constantly, I was a hot mess what with all the crying. And then, one day, because I managed to keep all of this from Finn and Puck, the kids went and pushed me at recess, which I shared with our boys. You have never seen Puck fly so fast and so high as he did that day. He landed smack center on the bigger kid, taking him down instantly." Hazel eyes, which had been focusing over the grand piano shifted like lightening to Quinn's caramel eyes. "I was in love with him for a month. I was nine and he was ten and we were in fact voted cutest couple for the month of March."

"This is suppose to make me feel better? Prove something?" Quinn was even more confused then she had been when someone grabbed her elbow and led her to the choir room.

"I owe Puck a lot. We were best friends and I was there when his dad bailed and he was there when my mom decided to pick up everything and take me away from them." Cali gave her a very tight smile. "I haven't been fair to you, and I'm sorry, because I do love Puck, as a friend. And I shouldn't have treated you the way I've been treating you. So, I'm sorry. And I never have or never will sleep with Puck."

Quinn leaned into her chair, her eyes dragging away from Cali's.

"We didn't mean to hurt him."

"Who?" Quinn cleared her throat, tears building up, blurring her vision.

"Puck and I. We didn't mean to hurt Finn. I didn't mean to hurt him the way I did. I should have told him. I should have been braver."

"Yeah, well," Cali shrugged. "Finn should have known better then to think you could get a girl pregnant without there being contact, you know, in the downstairs region."

There was a short chuckle between the two girls.

"Thank you for the apologies." Quinn nodded, her hands folded lightly on her lap, her ankles cross and slated to the right of her chair. "I know Puck will appreciate it."

"Yeah, he will, but he's not the only reason I did it. Any person who is willing to carry his devil spawn around, well, they deserve my best."

Quinn shook her head, a giggle slipping from her mouth. Her hands rose, wiping directly under her eyes.

"She's going to be a hell raiser, isn't she?" Cali simply smirked, leaning over to pat the blonde's knee.

"Yeah, she sure will be. Be brave." Cali leaned back into her own space, her arms crossing again. "Does this mean we're," she tilted her head from side to side. "Cool?"

Quinn smiled softly, her eyes on the piano. "No."

Cali mimicked the blonde's smile, nodding her head. She mouthed an 'ok', basking in the comfortable silence surrounding them.

---

Puck stood down the hall from the choir room, his eyes focused on the door. He was so in tuned with the door that he didn't even acknowledge that the girls' bathroom opened and Kurt walked out.

The soprano began walking back to his eighth period class, before stopping and turning his head to look at the distracted jock.

"What is wrong with you and Finn that you both think it's appropriate to stand outside the girls' bathroom? There are other ways to meet the _ladies_."

Puck threw an annoyed look to Kurt before leaning into the lockers. "I saw Cali drag Quinn into the choir room. I'm waiting to make sure Quinn doesn't run out crying or anything."

"Why on Earth would California want to make Quinn cry?" Kurt gasped. "You _are_ sleeping with her!"

"For all that is good and pure!" Puck shifted and punched Kurt's arm. He knew he hadn't hit too hard, but that didn't stop Kurt's mouth from opening widely, his hand moving to his bruised arm. "I am _not_ sleeping with her."

"Well, _sorry_." Kurt was shaking his head. "God forbid anyone think that Noah Puckerman, Lima's cougars' favorite boy, and the guy that sleeps with anything that has boobs and breathes, is sleeping with a beautiful girl. We should jump right off a bridge to punish ourselves for such sinful thoughts." Kurt folded his arms, flipping his bangs. "I hate to drag you from the dark, into the light, but it's your own damn fault that everyone and their mother thinks you and California would be doing the naughty hanky panky."

"One, do not _ever_ call it that again. Especially when you are using it to describe something I am doing. Secondly, _shut_ _up_."

Kurt smiled victoriously. His eyes darting to the unopened doors. "Seriously, what are they talking about?"

"I flipped out on Cali because she's been mean to Quinn. Not to Quinn's face or anything, but to me."

"And?"

"_And_," Puck gave Kurt a tired look. "I'm trying to convince Quinn that I'm worth something, you know. I'm worth way more then this dinky town and loser existence."

Kurt stared at him, sighing and moving towards the opposite set of lockers, on the other side of the hall.

"We're all worth way more then this dinky little town, Puck. And we all know it."

Puck looked at him before letting out a short laugh. "A few months ago, you would have never even acknowledged I was standing here. I don't even think you would have came out of the bathroom."

"A couple of months ago you wouldn't have cared if Quinn was crying or that you may have hurt your friend's feelings because you flipped out on her." Their eyes clashed, Puck looking away quickly. "It's a funny tale we're writing these days."

The jock cleared his throat, straightening himself up, his hand running down the bridge of his nose.

"Do you know what happened with Finn and Berry?" Kurt shot him a confused look.

"I have sixth period with Mike, you can't really count on that boy not to gossip like a girl." Puck smirked.

"Well, if you must know, I do not have any idea what happened to our forlorn Romeo and Juliet after I left the auditorium."

"Bet you twenty dollars nothing happened between them." The mohawked boy had a smile bursting from his face.

"I'll take that wager, and bet that they made out." Kurt gave him a determined look.

"It's your wallet Hummel."

---

"There she is." Finn looked up from his desk, staring at Artie, who had pressed him from his daydreams, and then to the door to see Cali slinking in. "Hey Cali!"

The brunette gave a warm smile to Artie, making her way to sit in front of him and Finn. She threw her bag down, turning to face the two.

"What's up?"

"Where have you been?" Finn asked, his voice low and slightly threatening. Artie looked at the jock and then Cali.

"I was taking care of some business." Cali stated, rolling her eyes.

"Like what?"

"Just stuff."

"Like?"

"Finn, my god, it's not important. At least it's not important to_ you_."

"Oh, so this was about Puck then, huh? You're always choosing him over me!"

"What are you talking about? I _always_ choose you. I owed him!"

"You owed him? Uh, hello! You're _my_ friend!"

"Just because he knocked up your girlfriend does not mean I have to take _sides_!"

"It sure does!"

"Uh, guys." Finn and Cali both turned to look at Artie who was sitting uncomfortably. He cleared his throat. "I just, I don't think this is the most appropriate place to be having an argument. I don't really handle the pressure of confrontation."

"Darling," Cali patted his hand. "This isn't about you."

"No, I mean any kind of general confrontation." Artie shook his head. "It's a bit much for me. You kind of sound like my grandma and grandpa at the holidays. Other then, you know, they're a little funnier."

Cali stared at the boy with glasses and then shifted to look at Finn. "I'm friends with both of you. He could sleep with all your girlfriends, and they could choose you over him every time, that doesn't change the fact that you're both my friends. I'll punish you both when it's called for, but neither of you can make me choose a side." She turned to face the board only to turn back to face the two. "At least not for good. I can't stop being friends with either of you, just because one of you asks me too."

Finn watched as she turned forward again. He spun to face Artie who simply placed his hands up and shook his head.

"You're right. I shouldn't have said that." There was an overwhelming amount of defeat in his voice. He felt like shooting himself. He felt like a pansy.

Cali didn't respond which made Finn shake his head, looking back over to his friend. Artie gave him a small smile.

"Your performance was excellent, by the way. Did you and Rachel make anything official?" Artie winked and shot Finn a smile.

The taller boy bowed his head. "No. We didn't make anything official."

"You two didn't," Artie's hands began moving in a circle. It was as if he was going to start singing the _Wheels on the Bus_. "I don't know. I figured you two, well, we all figured you two would, you know, kiss, or something."

He felt like even more of a pansy as he sighed, his fingers darting up into his hair. "No, Artie, we didn't kiss or anything."

The sound of someone moving in their seat penetrated his thoughts. He didn't even have to look at her to know she was probably staring at him like he was a moron.

"Jesus. Finn!" Her voice had a sharp tone. "I'm with Kurt. You guys need to call people before making choices. Because you are all making sad choices!"

"When did Kurt say that?" Artie asked, looking between the two.

Finn had long ago covered his face with his hand.

"Tina told me about it early this morning. About how this one went over to Rachel's house to, I don't know, woo her, and then ran off after she told him to leave." She made that ticking noise with her tongue. The one Finn absolutely hated. "Honestly."

"Ok, look," Finn sighed and looked at the two. Artie had an amused expression across his face as Cali crossed her arms. "Sometimes, the lack of common sense makes me do stupid things."

Both Artie and Cali stared at him and then at each other. Cali shook her head, placing her face into her hand.

"Yes, Finn," Artie sighed, his voice low. "A lack of common sense will do that to a person."

---

Puck stood against Quinn's locker, waiting for her to pull out whatever books she needed for the night. Glee had been canceled due to a teachers' meeting and the blonde had asked Puck for a ride home.

"She was very nice Puck, stop asking me about it." She gave him a coy smile, gently shutting the metal door.

Puck rolled his eyes, grabbing both the books in her hands and book bag from her shoulder. "I just want to make sure I don't have to yell at her."

"Again, you mean?" Quinn shook her head. "It was fine. She apologized and we talked and I know that you two have never and will never sleep together."

"So, the crying thing?"

"Is under control at the moment." He simply nodded his head.

"She really is a good friend." They walked out into the brisk weather, making their way through the huddles of students. "This sure has been a crazy week."

"It really has." Quinn smiled, gently tucking her hand in his. "It really has."

Puck smiled, opening his mouth, only to close it as Kurt stood in front of them. He was holding up a twenty dollar bill his face distorted in an angry scowl. The jock smirked, releasing Quinn's hand and snatching the crisp bill.

"I knew it." Puck stated, laughter echoing in his words. Kurt began shaking his head.

"I'm just so _sad_ with her choices." He looked at Puck, then Quinn, and then the far off end of the parking lot. He huffed and flipped his bangs. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go beat Rachel with a stick."

The two watched as the boy stamped off from them.

"What was that about?" Quinn shifted her gaze from Kurt to Puck who was checking to bill for authenticity. "Puck?"

"Huh, oh," he laughed, pocketing the money and taking her hand. "Seems Finn put on a little show for Rachel and it didn't end the way he wanted it too. You know, that whole fairytale, happily ever after thing." Puck laughed, and looked down, stopping instantly as he saw the blonde begin to sniffle.

Oh crap.

"But why didn't they invite _me_ to watch the show?"

Puck's head dropped, his chin hitting his chest. He sighed and moved his arm to Quinn's shaking shoulders.

"I don't know Quinn." His eyes were rolling as he tried to get her to the privacy of his truck as soon as possible. "You're so emotionally stable these days. It _boggles_ my mind."


	8. Or Beginning of the end? Part One

**Disclaimer:** I own _nothing_.

**Author's notes: **Part Numero Uno. Sort of. Yeah, ok, I'm a horrible person, their date will be next chapter, which I already started writing, which, as part of my Valentine's day gift to you, it should be up later tonight, early tomorrow morning. And, since I don't have work tomorrow, maybe I can even get a chapter ten up by tomorrow night. Cross your fingers people.

I am so happy that everyone is liking the story, you guys are just so amazing with your kind words and amazing reviews (Thank you so much for the alerts and favorites as well).

Happy Readings!!

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* * *

"_Do you remember? Do you remember? Do you remember, all of the times we had? Do you remember? Do you remember? Do you remember all of the times we had? Let's bring it back! Bring it back!_" Finn was rocking out, singing and dancing in front of his mirror. He had been using his XBOX remote as a microphone as he pointed at himself, moving his head from side to side. He spun around stopping mid song and dance as he stared at Cali.

She was leaning against the doorframe, a cup of tea in her hands, her eyebrows raised up into her forehead.

Finn cleared his throat, straightening his posture and placing his remote control on his dresser. He turned and leaned against it, folding his arms and staring back at the short haired brunette.

"What up?" Cali rolled her eyes, moving away from his door. Finn mimicked her, following her into the kitchen.

The week had gone by ridiculously slow. Not that it was a bad thing, per say. It was good because it gave Finn a chance to start planning the perfect Saturday date. It was bad because the waiting was killing him.

A smile crept across his face as he thought of Rachel and all the flirting and little things they had been doing since Monday. She had begun sitting next to him in Chemistry and he had started showing up to the cafeteria to sit with her and Kurt (and the occasional appearance of Cali). Finn had even taken a bold step and started holding her hand in the halls and during Glee rehearsal.

It had definitely been an interesting week.

"Did you decide what you and Rachel are doing Saturday night?" Cali moved from the sink, her head shaking as Finn began blinking.

"Huh?"

"Rachel, Saturday, big huge date to prove yourself to her." Cali sat at the table, her tea steaming in front of her. "What are you planning to do?"

"I don't know. I thought we could go out to dinner and then a movie?"

"Oh, Finn, that's so clichéd."

"Why does everyone use that word so freely?" Cali gave him a look. He sighed, moving to sit across from her. "What would you do?"

"How about lunch, at Marcy's Café? And there's a garden show at the park. Lots of flowers, people, I think some music. It's sweet and breezy." She took a sip of her tea, her eyes focusing over Finn. "You want it to be relaxed and calm. Do not do anything that will be regrettable."

"Like what?" He smirked at her.

"Try and kiss her in a place where the last time you kissed her, you ran away." Finn's smirk disappeared.

"I hate you."

"Like I've never heard that before."

"Oh, look at you two, it's as if time never went forward." The two teens turned and smiled at Mrs. Hudson as she walked into the kitchen. "What are you two talking about?"

"Finn's date with Rachel." Cali took another sip of her tea, Finn choking on his own breath.

"I'm so excited you're moving on Finny." He smiled, scratching his head.

"Mom it's not a big deal." Cali laughed as a blush began to creep across his face.

"I'm just saying it's nice to see you rising above all this drama." She ruffled his hair, walking towards the fridge. Her hand gently ruffled Cali's hair as well. "I love seeing you two together again. The only thing missing is Noah."

"Mom." Finn's voice had taken on a whining tone. Cali looked at him and then back at her tea.

"Finn, I know that they hurt you. And I'm not saying that you should instantly forgive them, but don't throw them away sweetie." His mother gave him a smile and turned back to the fridge, her voice steady.

"_Mom_." Cali clicked her tongue, fluffing her hair and giving him a look. Finn glared at her.

"Look at you two." Mrs. Hudson sighed. "It was just yesterday I was trying to make sure you two and Puck didn't get suspended for breaking into the teacher's lounge."

Both Cali and Finn opened their mouths, only to look away from each other.

"We didn't technically _do_ anything." Cali stated in their defense.

"And how were we suppose to know Mrs. Donavan was going to be using her new foot bath on her break." Finn was looking down at the table, trying very hard not to catch Cali's eye. However, as Mrs. Hudson sighed, both teenagers looked up and began laughing hysterically. Their voices mingling together.

"And then Puck ate the cake!"

Mrs. Hudson stared at the two, her mouth opening and then closing.

"Well, thank goodness you three can't do too much damage at this point."

"I don't know, tweedle dee and tweedle dumb seemed to make a whole mess out of nothing without me." Their laughter had died down, Finn was still chuckling as he gave her a look. Cali simply shrugged, her smile, pure innocence.

"Now, now." Mrs. Hudson gave them both a smile. "Did you make any special plans for your date Finny?"

Finn looked at his mother and then Cali. "I was thinking lunch at Marcy's Café and then the garden show, at the park. Something sweet and romantic, but relaxing." Mrs. Hudson squealed, clasping her hands together.

"Oh Finny! You're so romantic! Just like your father!" The aging woman swooped over to Finn throwing her arms around his neck.

Cali clicked her tongue, shaking her head slowly and glaring at the boy sitting across from her. He smiled back, his hand patting his mother's back. His facial expression suggested he had won this round.

---

Rachel stared into her locker, ignoring the soprano who had been stalking her for the better part of the week. He was standing directly next to her, arms folded, and his foot tapping to some imaginary beat.

"Oh, for all that is holy. What?" She turned to him.

"What on god's good green Earth are you wearing? Are those clogs?" He shook his head, his foot tapping quickening. "Honestly, I don't know if you just don't care or there is some kind of blockage when you are in your closet."

"Kurt. I don't have time for this."

"Rachel. It is seven thirty in the morning. We have, at most, twenty five minutes before first period." He raised an eyebrow. "Try again."

"I'm still mad that you hit me!" Rachel spun, her hair flying and almost hitting him.

"It was a newspaper. Get over it." He let out a breath, stopping his tapping and dropping his arms. "Did you guys decide where you're going?"

She shook her head, her eyes looking back into her locker. "Not to my current knowledge. But, then again, I haven't talked to him since Glee practice yesterday."

"I guess I'll have to find out today." He sighed as if this was somehow a burden on him. Rachel rolled her eyes. "We have to plan the perfect outfit. I can't have you kissing Finn Hudson in," his eyes ran from the top of her head to her hideous clogs, "anything you own."

She shifted to look at him, her eyes in dangerous slits. She slammed the locker door with much more force then necessary. This, however, did not faze Kurt.

"Does it really matter what I am wearing?"

"You'll be kissing Finn for the very first time." She stared at him. "Officially, I mean. This is a new slate, a new beginning. You are going to be Finn Hudson's girlfriend. And if I am to live vicariously through you, you _need_ to dress better."

Rachel's eyes were rolling like a tilt-a-whirl as she spun on her heels and began walking towards the library. Kurt had caught up to her fairly easy, his eyes in some dreamy state.

"This isn't some fairy-tale Kurt. If Finn and I become official, there is going to be a lot for him to deal with."

"Such as?" He had a feeling he knew where this conversation was going, but it he couldn't help but play dumb.

"I don't know. Mockery, fights, a constant defense of his man-hood."

"It's not as if the school still sees us as bottom dwellers of the food chain." He caught her eye and turned his head forward. "It's not as bad as it was, Rachel."

"Finn gets jittery if you look at him the wrong way." She turned sharply, gently opening the library's massive door. "Tell me how he is going to handle being in a relationship with a high-maintenance freak. People will be talking behind his back, making fun of him." She shook her head. "This would be easier if he just allowed me to ignore him."

Kurt stopped short, grabbing Rachel's arm, and dragging her towards the encyclopedias. He released her once they were in the safety and privacy of the massive shelves and volumes.

"Rachel, what is this really about? You, miss competition, miss go for the gold, miss independent, she got her own thing, _you_ have him in the palm of you hand. This is everything you've wanted since Mr. Schue dragged that boy into Glee kicking and screaming. So, what? You don't want it anymore?" Kurt shook his head and then reached over, pulling a magazine from the book shelve. He smacked her across the arm.

"Ow!"

"Rachel Bernice Berry. You should be _ashamed_."

"Kurt, ow!" She slapped his arm back, her eyes sparkling dangerously. "I do want him. I want to be with him. Ok? I just can't handle it if he leaves again. I can't."

Kurt lowered his arms. He seemed to keep forgetting the fragility of his friend. It was hard remembering how much Finn had really hurt her, because she was Rachel Berry. She made sure it never showed.

The boy sighed and nodded his head. "I can't promise you that he won't leave, Rach. I want to tell you he's not going to hurt you. Or to tell you that he's going to love you forever. But," he sighed, flipping his bangs. He took her hands in his. "I can't. If he does hurt you, however, again, I can promise that my dad knows some guys who owe him a few favors. No questions asked."

"Oh, Kurt." Rachel laughed.

"There we go. Now, let's go make our rounds and discuss what you are wearing tomorrow." His eyes once again ran down her attire. "Let's also discuss which shelter we will be sending those clogs too."

---

Cali rolled her eyes, nudging Puck in the stomach.

"I just wish you would try and talk to him, about something a little more solid then Rachel."

"Cals, I told you already, he doesn't want to hear it. If you want someone to talk some sense into him, ask Berry. She seems to always get her point across with him."

Cali ignored the bitterness in his words and attitude. Though, she argued in her head, Puck had made a very good point. Rachel would probably be able to coerce the bonsai tree into talking to Puck and Quinn again. _She_ sure as hell wasn't getting to him. Every time Cali even got the first consonant of Puck's name out Finn was already holding his hand up to stop her.

"Maybe I will talk to her during Glee practice."

"Leave her alone. I'm sure she's freakin out about this big date thing with Finn anyway." Puck leaned down taking a sip from the fountain."

"She seems leveled enough to me."

"Yeah, well, she would, wouldn't she?" Puck shook his head. "Berry doesn't like to do that whole showing weakness shit. Now, if you try to take a solo from her, she'll go all lioness on your ass. But the whole heart broken, scared, nervous thing. Nah, not her style."

"Why do you know so much about her?" Puck shrugged and then shook his head.

"Because I dated her for a week and all the girl knows how to do is talk. Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk." He had brought his hand up, moving it in a sign langue of talking.

"So you actually listened? Aw!" He rolled his eyes.

"Look, all I'm saying is don't give her anything else to concentrate on other then her trying not to convince herself that Finn is going to stand her up."

"Finn would never do that." Cali looked at Puck and then forward again. "Touché."

"He's not a bad guy, but he has his moments. Especially when it comes to Berry. He doesn't know if he's coming or going." Puck shook his head. "It's pretty pathetic, really."

They made their way into the cafeteria and over to Puck's table with Mike and Matt. The two boys waved them over, waiting until Cali and Puck had gotten closer to resume their conversation on practice techniques.

"Did he even decide where he was going to take her?" Puck asked, leaning back into his chair, shooting a smile over to Quinn who waved to him.

"The park and Marcy's café." Mike answered, his attention on the new conversation. "He told me about it in second period."

"It was my idea." Cali pouted.

"It doesn't matter whose idea it was. All that matters is he has a plan." Puck smirked. "That he's going to screw up."

"He is not going to screw it up." Cali made a noise, moving to smack the mohawked boy.

"I'm on Puck with this one. I like Finn, a lot, he's a great guy. But when it comes to pulling things off, especially with Rachel, it's a sad, sad soap opera to watch." Matt stated, high-fiving Puck.

"He's going to be brilliant." Cali said, her eyes squinting.

"Yeah, Finn really likes Rachel." Mike patted the table. "I'm on Finn's team."

"Well then," Puck smirked over to Matt, leaned back into his chair, and placed his arms up in question. "Maybe you two would like to make a small wager."

Cali gave him a crossed look and leaned forward to hit him in the back of his head.

"Ow! Cali!"

"I can not believe you would place a bet on your friend's happiness!"

"We're not friends _right_ _now_. So, technically, I'm placing a bet on some guy's happiness."

"You disgust me." Cali shook her head.

"Ah! But always in the _good way_." Another smack was delivered to the back of his head. "Ow!"

"I see that the violence train is loaded and ready to be driven out of the station." The four turned to see Kurt standing at their table. "I couldn't help but over hear about this friendly bet."

"After what happened last time, do you really want to put your money where your mouth is Hummel?" Cali gave a guarded look to Puck and then to Kurt.

"Oh my god! You two have already be gambling with them? You two should be ashamed." Puck turned to Cali who had ended her scolding by swinging her head to face in the opposite direction of the two boys.

"Will you cool your panties, please." He shook his head, his eyes returning to Kurt and then Mike and Matt. "What do you say fellas? Twenty five?"

"Fifty. I need to make a profit from our last little money exchange." Kurt flipped his bangs, looking over to his table where Rachel was reading and Finn was talking about video games. Kurt rolled his eyes.

"That's a high price you guys." Mike stated, looking between Kurt and Puck.

"I'm in." Matt smiled, high fiving Puck who simply nodded his head.

"You're all going to hell." The four turned to look at Cali who was still looking away from them. Puck leaned over and patted her shoulder.

"At least we'll all be toasty _together_."

---

Finn stood in front of his mirror struggling with the tie he had been trying to knot for the better part of half an hour. He had blamed it to nerves, but in all honesty, he wasn't good with things like this.

"Lose it." He looked over to his doorway. Cali was standing in the hall, a mountain of clothes in her arms. "Just go with the cargo pants and the blue shirt, no tie. And for the love of pancakes and blueberries, do something with your hair."

"I think I can handle this all on my own!" He glared at her. Cali simply stuck out her tongue walking away from his room. "I _can_ handle this all on my own."

A small beeping noise, muffled by his quilt, sounded across his bedroom. He twisted around throwing up the comforter and grabbing the phone.

'**Don't talk about video games the whole time. And don't talk about Quinn, even if she brings it up. And do something with your hair.'**

Finn stared at the tiny screen, Kurt's name rolling along the top of the message. Obviously, even though he knew he could handle this all on his own; no one else did.

He sighed and sent a quick 'thanks' before turning back to his mirror and staring at his hair. "I think it looks fine." He mumbled to himself.

The beeping noise sounded once again.

'**I'm serious about the hair. Don't make me look bad.'**

Finn stared at his phone and then walked over to his window, searching for any sign of Kurt.

"Are you taking my car or the truck?" He looked over his shoulder, Cali giving him a weird look. "What are you doing?"

"Um," he gave one last look to the empty yard. "Nothing." He turned and straightened his shirt. "Can I take your car? I think it'll be a little hard for her to get into the truck. Even with my help."

Cali nodded, tossing him her keys. "Now, remember, just stay calm and relax. And compliment her."

"Cali, _seriously_, I got this." The brunette sighed and folded her arms.

"This is not going to be like bagging Quinn. Ok? Or any of your other girlfriends for that matter. Mostly because you have had several chances with this girl, all of which you fumbled. Royally, actually. She likes you a lot, but I don't think she's going to give you another chance. I'm actually impressed with her giving you _this_ chance. Personally, I would have had Uncle Vito take you out after the bowling-finding out Quinn was pregnant fiasco."

Finn stared at her. His heart racing just slightly. Was this really his last chance with Rachel?

Cali sighed and shook her head. "Finn, don't worry. Everything is going to go perfectly."

---

Finn stood at Rachel's door, his heart pounding and his breathing completely unstable. He lied, he really couldn't do this on his own. He was awkward, he said stupid things, he never really thought before he talked, and he had a tendency to be his own worst enemy. The odds were against him.

The door opened causing Finn to stop breathing, completely, and his heart to begin pounding right into his rib cage.

Rachel stood, smiling brightly, in the prettiest pink sundress Finn had ever seen. Her hair was half up and half down, soft curls cascading down her back. Her make up was light and airy, giving her a certain glow, if you will. She looked stunning.

"Hey Finn." Her voice was filled with happiness. Her eyes moving from his hair to his pants. "I like the hair."

"Cali did it." He winced internally. That was something Cali had told him not to say, wasn't it? Rachel giggled.

"You look great."

"You look," he had to drag in his tongue and shaken his head of bad thoughts. "You look amazing."

"Well thank you. Kurt had a field day this morning with me." She giggled and gently took his hand in hers. "So, where are we off too?"

"Um, lunch?" He gave her a smile, allowing her to lead him away from her house to Cali's car. "Shouldn't I meet your dads? Again?"

"They're at a conference in Baltimore. They won't be back until Tuesday."

Finn opened the door for her, his mouth widened a bit. "You're going to be staying in the house all by yourself! That's not safe Rachel."

She gave him a look, watching as he quickly rushed to the driver's side.

"Finn, we live in Lima."

"So?" He shook his head. "You should stay with me, at my house, where there's protection."

"Finn. I'm fine." She laid her hand on his knee, cocking her head to look at him from the side.

All erratic breaths and heart beats slowed to a normal pace. Finn could feel the air returning to fill his lungs as his blood pressure and blood flow returned to normal. The atmosphere had become livable, once again.

"Ok, ok. I'm sorry. My mom says I get a little hyper when I'm nervous." He chuckled and then laughed as Rachel giggled.

"No worries." Her hand stayed on his knee as she leaned into the cushioned seat. "Where are we going to lunch?"

"Marcy's Café?" He gave her hopeful eyes, realizing that she may not want to eat there.

"Sounds perfect."


	9. I walk, I ran, I jump, I flew Part Two

**Disclaimer: **Happy Valentine's Night!!

**Author's Note: **Finn. Rachel.

Happy Readings!

* * *

"Guys, I don't really think this is a good idea." Mercedes looked over to Kurt and Cali who were both in camouflage, laying behind the tall shrubbery that sat directly outside of Marcy's Café. Cali, who was sporting binoculars, looked over to Mercedes and gave her a determined look.

"We are here to support our friends." Kurt huffed snatching Cali's binoculars.

"We're here because I refuse to deal with Finn and/or Rachel messing this one up." Cali and Mercedes, who were on either side of Kurt, turned and stared at him.

"I just think that stalking them on their first date is, you know, _wrong_." Mercedes turned to watch as Finn said something and Rachel began laughing brightly.

"I wonder what he said." Kurt mumbled. "Quickly, who reads lips?"

"Kurt, _no one_ reads lips." Mercedes reached out and smacked his arm. She had never felt so sneaky and underhanded as she did at this exact moment.

In retrospect, she should have realized something was amiss when Kurt pulled up to her house in his fashionable camouflage cargo pants and beige long sleeve shirt, with Cali practically hanging out the window in jeans and a camouflage jacket. She blamed the lack of sleep for her lapse of judgment.

"I just, oh, oh, he's reaching over the table and, dammit!" Mercedes turned quickly, watching as Finn reached to grab Rachel's hand, only to retract it to the bread bowl. "He's been holding her hand _all_ week."

Cali looked at Kurt who was stewing from his own observation. "Give him a break. He's nervous."

"Guys, seriously, can't we just go see a movie and then call Rachel later?" Mercedes looked above Kurt to Cali. "You live with Finn."

"Mercedes, darling, don't worry. Nothing could go wrong." Kurt turned away from his friend, his eyes going back to the binoculars.

Someone clearing their throat, caused Mercedes to look behind them as Cali and Kurt continued staring at the two in the café.

"Mercedes, really, everything is fine." Kurt looked at the diva who was still staring behind them.

"Um, Kurt, I wasn't the one clearing my throat." Kurt, and Cali who had turned to look at the girl, both looked over their shoulders at the police officer standing over them. His arms were crossed, his sunglasses sporting their reflections.

"Heh." Kurt chuckled as Mercedes and Cali both turned their heads back to the tall shrubbery. "Funny story…"

---

Finn laughed, shaking his head. "You're really funny Rachel."

"I'm not." She argued, even though her tone suggested she really was. She looked over his shoulder, her chin lifting from her hand. "Is that?" Slowly, shaking her head and blinking, she stared at three familiar heads over the Café's landscape. "Is that Kurt, Mercedes, and Cali?"

Finn turned and looked at the police officer who was talking a mile a minute and the three, very familiar, heads.

"Um."

"I think we should leave." Rachel whispered hotly. Finn looked at her and then back to the scene unfolding not twenty feet from them.

"Yeah, I think so too. Are you sure you didn't want anything else?" He had taken out his wallet, looking at the bill which had been sitting at the edge of the table for the better part of ten minutes.

"I'm fine." He looked at her and shot her a smile.

"Hey, don't worry about them, ok? They were, well I know Cali was, just being themselves." He wasn't sure if it was an insult or a compliment on their part, but he didn't really care.

"I'm going to murder him."

"That's fine." He stood up and placed his hand outward. "You want to walk through the garden show?"

Rachel looked at him, her eyes brightening and her smile lighting her face.

"I would _love_ too."

It be a lie to say she wasn't having the time of her life. Their car ride into the center of town was filled with singing and talking with and over the radio. Their lunch had gone wonderfully, both enjoying their respective meals and each other's company. Quinn, Puck, Glee, none of it had been brought up, it was just her and Finn.

Her eyes drifted over her shoulder towards the police officer and the three stooges.

Well, her, Finn, Kurt, Mercedes, and Cali.

"You like flowers?" She looked up, her whole being fluttered as Finn smiled down at her.

"I love flowers. Daddy use to grow a rose garden when I was little. He had to stop when they put in the Jacuzzi, but I can still remember how sweet the backyard would smell when I had my tea parties."

"You had tea parties?" Finn's hold on her hand tightened as they walked through the entrance of the park. You could tell something was going on because there were people everywhere.

"Well, my teddy bears and I had tea parties. They were the before parties before I had to perform." Rachel nodded, her face and tone completely serious. "The tea helped keep my nervous relaxed and my voice top notched."

"You've always wanted to be on stage, haven't you?" He knew that she was star bound, but he hadn't realized it had started so early on.

"Well, yes. My dads have this huge collection of movies, and I would watch with them on Friday nights. From the delicate age of two I loved music. I liked singing and dancing and just," her voice had taken on a dream like sound to it. "Being myself. Music always made me feel better. It could be country or soft rock or pop or even R&B. Lyrics and beats and the emotion behind songs. It's mind boggling." She shook her head. Her smile was breathtaking. "I would create detailed music videos in middle school. Somehow the form of translating their music into proper videos seemed to be lost to most artists." She tsked. "I never really knew what they were thinking."

Finn couldn't help but laugh. He immediately started shaking his head as Rachel gave him a slightly hurt, slight ticked off look.

"No, no, I think that's awesome." He took a deep breath, unweaving his hand from hers to bring her closer to him. "I think that's amazing. I'm laughing because, man Rachel, you're just so incredible. In middle school I was running around like a moron, trying not to get tagged to be it. You were actually planning your life."

She smiled. "I don't know whether to take that as compliment or not."

Finn stopped, turning so that their bodies were facing each other. He bent slightly, his breath uneven in her ears.

"It was most definitely a compliment." There was a hoarseness in his voice that caused Rachel to shiver slightly. Her eyes were closing gently, her own toes tipping to rise her up.

"Rachel! Finn!" The two pulled away from each other instantly, a good foot suddenly laided between them. They stared at Mr. Schue and Ms. Pillsbury. Their teacher seemed oblivious to the moment he had just interrupted, however, Ms. Pillsbury was shooting them both an apologetic smile. "I had no idea you two were into flowers."

The two teens stared at their teacher, he was, well, giddy. There was definitely something different about him.

"I didn't know you liked flowers either." Rachel offered, moving closer to Finn. She couldn't stop the smile that appeared across her lips as he took her hand in his.

"Not really. But Em-- Ms. Pillsbury does." Ah, so that was what was different. Rachel looked from her teacher to the guidance counselor who was blushing brightly. She held up a simple hand.

"Mr. Schuester thought this would be a nice afternoon outing. Clear our minds from such a busy week." The red headed woman looked over to Mr. Schue, shooting him a smile.

"Look at you two." Mr. Schue gave them a large smile. "Relaxing before a vigorous week of Glee rehearsal." There was a tease to his tone, which caused both Rachel and Finn to look away from him.

Ms. Pillsbury moved closer to Mr. Schue, leaning to whisper something in his ear. Rachel, who had turned as she saw the exchange from the corner of her eye, watched as his lips transformed from a smile to an 'o'.

"Ah, ha. So, yeah, relaxation." Rachel couldn't help but chuckle, her eyes darting over to Finn. "We're sorry to, I'm sorry to, have bother you." Mr. Schue gave them a smile, quickly grabbing Ms. Pillsbury's hand and darting off towards a table filled with orchids.

"They are _so_ cute together." Rachel stated lowly. She sighed and shifted, widening her eyes as she saw the rose gardens.

Finn, who had been looking in his teacher's direction, almost tripped as Rachel took off towards the mass area of roses.

"Rach, jeez, slow down." He smiled as she let go of his hand practically jumping into a large bouquet of roses on one of the tables. Taking in a large breath, he allowed the delicate scent to run across his senses, causing him to think of petals and Rachel and the aspect of mixing both of these things together.

He shook his head immediately.

"Oh Finn! Isn't it all beautiful!"

That was one of the things he liked about her, he thought to himself as he watched her move from bouquet to bouquet. When Rachel talked, no matter the subject, she talked with exclamation points and passion filled tones. When Rachel liked something, loved something, she never hesitated to show it.

Something Finn had yet to completely wrap his brain around for himself.

"It's beautiful Rachel." His smile widened as she threw him a sweet look over her shoulder.

As he began moving closer to her, he stopped, noticing that Brittany and Mike were walking over to them. He gave them a smile and a wave.

"Hey guys!" Finn stated. Mike smiled back picking his hand up so the two boys could high-five. Brittany had simply waved, walking over to where Rachel was. "What brings you two to the garden show?"

"My mom wanted me to get her some plants. Apparently my dad is useless when it comes to tastes and our house is looking dreary." Mike shook his head. "I can't wait for this whole menopause thing to be over and done with. She tried to clean our attic the other day because it's the reason she's hot all the time."

"Uh, wow, that's, um," Finn shrugged. "I don't know man."

"Yeah, you're telling me." Mike looked over to the girls and then back to Finn. "Brit said that she liked flowers and basically kidnapped me from the house when I asked her for some ideas."

"Yeah, Rachel saw the roses and I may have lost her to them."

"I think it's cool, you two." Mike pointed at Finn and then Rachel.

"Thanks." The taller boy gave him a smile. "It means a lot, having people on our side."

"I figured it would." Mike looked over to the girls, sighed, and placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose "Brit, put down the giant bouquet."

Finn turned to look in the direction Mike was talking to. Brittany and Rachel were both holding bouquets of rose that basically hid them.

"But they're pretty." Finn smirked as the blonde's voice travel right through the flowers.

"Babe, put them down."

"Rachel, I think I have to agree with Mike on this." Finn took three large steps, grabbing the bouquet so he could see her once again. She was wearing a Cheshire smile, her eyes the size of saucers.

"Too late. I bought them for me and Brittany. Happy Saturday to us!"

Mike and Finn's jaws dropped as they looked at the bouquets and then at Rachel and Brittany (who had somehow managed to pop her head from the giant display).

"Rach."/"Brit."

Both girls gave them large grins. Rachel grabbed her bouquet back from Finn and began walking towards the carnation and poppy table, Brittany right next to her.

"Well, that's an interesting turn of events." Finn mumbled. He looked over to Mike who was shaking his head, which was down, and which was still sporting his fingers on the bridge of his nose.

---

"Seriously, let me carry the damn flowers." Finn smiled as Rachel moved the bouquet, a glare glistening in her baby browns.

"It's fine, I'm a very good multi-tasker." The taller boy rolled his eyes and even laughed as Rachel struggled with her keys. He leaned over, taking the flowers from her hands.

"Better?" Rachel simply huffed in response, opening her front door and moving so that Finn could walk in. One of the advantages of being tall was that the bouquet really didn't bother him walking or seeing wise. "You should have let me bought them for you."

It was about the fifteenth time he had said it since she and Brittany had wandered over to the carnation table (and then to every over bloody table in the damn show). Mike and Finn had been unamused, especially as the time ticked away.

Finn could barely believe it was already nearing six thirty.

"I don't care who bought them." Rachel stated, directing Finn to place them in the living room right off the hallway. She had him set them on the table up against the far wall. "Besides, you would have been broke!"

"And your not?"

"I have daddy's American Express. I technically didn't buy them either." She gave him a cheeky grin.

"Oh." Finn laughed.

"Are you going or," Rachel looked at him, a shyness falling over her. "What?"

"I don't have to be home or anything, if that's what you're asking. I can stay if you want me too." Finn babbled awkwardly, shutting his mouth as Rachel's lips turned into a slight smile.

"Are you hungry? I can order us some pizza." Before Finn could say anything, a rumble from his stomach echoed across the grand living room. He could feel the blush creep across his face. Rachel simply laughed, walking away from the flowers, past him, and back out into the hall. "Pizza it is!"

Finn allowed his head to drop into his chest. "Stupid stomach." It was hardly his fault he was a growing boy.

He sighed and lifted his head, his eyes moving over the white room. Everything was just so clean and delicate. He turned and noticed that the front window had a ledge with pictures on it. He moved closer, his eyes moving over, what seemed to be, a shrine to Rachel.

Every picture held her tiny face smiling or laughing. Each picture was a happy snapshot that told a story of being a star. Some of the pictures had her holding ribbons or trophies, others had her in tiny gowns and tiaras. Each Rachel held an age from three to only a year or two ago, if Finn guessed correctly.

"Ok, pizza should be here in about half an hour and I set up some sodas and snacks in the family room." He stared at the most recent looking picture, bringing it up with him as he straightened and turned to her.

"When was this taken?" She took a few steps towards him, holding out her hand for him to pass the frame to her.

"Oh, this was taken last year. I was in Maine with daddy visiting my Aunt Bernice. I was named after her." Rachel shrugged.

"Did you guys go to a party or something?" Finn gently took the picture back, staring at the slightly younger Rachel.

It was the only picture where she wasn't smiling her 'star' smile. She was smiling, of course, but it was a different smile, a softer smile. She was wearing a sleeveless dress, which, even though Finn had no real clue about fashion, made Rachel look stunning. Her tanned shoulders were complimented by the blue of the dress, her hair swept into some curly up do that showed off her neck perfectly. Everything seemed to compliment her as she sat in some white fancy chair.

"We had gone to a governor's ball. They hold them all the time up north. That was at the end of the evening, I was so tired. My dad is a little camera happy." She laughed.

"You look amazing." He gave her a smile, nodding his head. "I've said that word a lot tonight."

"That's ok, I like that word." She gave him a wink, taking the photo and then grabbing his hand. "Come on, lets have some snacks and you can pick out a movie."

---

Rachel's eyes popped open only to close immediately. She groaned, twisting into and around whatever she had fallen asleep against. The only thing wrapping around her brain was a _Whole New World_, it was playing like a broken record.

"Mm. Rach, you're leaning on my stomach." Rachel's eyes flew open widely, her body twisting right onto the carpeted floor of her living room. She popped up, her legs a little shaky from their earlier position.

"Finn?!" The gangly boy stretched his arms up, yawning loudly. He opened his eyes and looked at her before lowering his arms, his hand falling across his eyes.

"What time is it?" Rachel turned to look at the grandfather clock that sat in the corner on the far right of the room.

"It's eleven thirty. What the hell is going on?" Her voice was high and slightly shrieky.

"Ok, Rachel, you need to bring it down, just a little bit." His hands were rubbing the sleep from his eyes, his whole body stretching against the couch.

Rachel stared at him a faint spell threatening her tired body. A slide show of pizza, laughing, talking, and various Disney movies flooded her brain. The smile appearing over her face was uncontrolled.

"We fell asleep during _Aladdin_." She shook her head, collapsing back down next to him. "Oh my god. That's so sad."

"It's your fault. I told you we should have put on _Finding Nemo_." The sleep that was saturating Finn's voice was overwhelming sweet and sexy.

Rachel looked at him and then down at her attire. She had changed into a pair of sweats right after the pizza had been delivered, leaving Finn to finally pick out a movie. Her fathers had a vast collection, had she know he would have only been interested in the action packed movies, which hindsight had obviously failed, she would have never left him alone.

After an almost fifteen minute fight about what movie to watch they had agreed to the Disney section of the collection. They had agreed on _Hercules_, both singing along and throwing popcorn at each other. Then he had chosen _The Pacifier_, which led it to being her turn and picking out _Aladdin_.

Which, in turn, led them to falling asleep on her couch.

"Any way you spin this, it's sad." She shook her head once again.

"I think it was an awesome first date. I never knew how many Disney songs I actually knew the words too." Finn was leaning completely into the couch, one arm strung against the top of it, the other curled around his stomach.

Rachel sighed and shifted so she was laying against him, her head on his chest and her hand moving to play with his fingers. She closed her eyes as his other arm slid down the top of the couch, curving around her.

"You should probably go home." Her voice sounded incredibly small against the sound of his heart in her ear.

"Or, I should probably stay here and guard the house." Rachel laughed, twisting so that she was looking at him.

There was an intimate connection as he looked down at her, his chin on his chest, his smile playfully positioned across his lips.

"Your mom will have a heart attack."

"I doubt it." He shook his head. "When I called her to tell her I was going to be over here watching movies with you, she practically offered to drive over my sleeping bag." Rachel raised an eyebrow. "She's jumping for joy that I'm not mopping around the house about, you know, everything. And I've talked about you enough so that she's comfortable with me being around you."

"She doesn't think I'll let you impregnate me." Rachel summed up.

"She does not think that I will impregnate you, no." He chuckled. His hand moved up her arm, gently taking some strands of her hair in-between his fingers.

"You've been completely un-awkward since we started watching movies." She had turned and shifted herself so that her head was on the armrest and the rest of her body laid in his lap.

"Well, we did sing. There's never any real awkwardness with I'm singing with you." There was a certain level of confidence as he talked. She couldn't help but smile, tilting her head slightly to the side. "There it is."

"What?" She was still smiling, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"That smile. From the picture. I love that smile." She could feel the heat on her face, her smile remained enacted however.

"Thank you." A shiver ran down her back as his hand smoothed the hair on the top of her head. "It's because I'm tired."

"No energy to make a real effort, huh?" She laughed, barely registering how he was leaning towards her.

"I think I love this whole confidence thing. Or, whatever it is."

"Oh, this?" Finn chuckled his face dangerously close to hers. "This is pure exhaustion."

"I like your pure exhaustion." She barely got the words out as his lips found hers. She barely registered what he had done until her hands moved from between them, snaking their way across his cheeks and through his hair.

He pulled away, slightly, his smile lopsided, his eyes gauging her face. Rachel smirked and pulled him back down to her.

"Scratch that," her voice was breathy, his lips just barely grazing hers. "I love it."

Finn, in pure sleepy form, grasped her lips with his, opening his mouth as well as hers. He shifted, moving them so that he could comfortably kiss her. As well as giving him an excuse to simply feel her in his arms.

"Mmm." He moved from her lips, his mouth leaving tiny kisses across her cheek. "Hands down, best date ever."

Rachel simply giggled, reaching over so that his lips were once again over hers.


	10. When it rains

**Disclaimer: **Nothing, nadda, zippo!

**Author's Notes: **This Chapter would be… I think… the fifth rewrite. And I'm still not crazy about it, but it was my favorite among the partial pieces of the other four.

It's a little weird, and there is a little drama, sort of. ANYWAY. I have figured out there will be two more chapters. Next chapter is the party plus Finn/Puck/Quinn interaction (possibly some baby drama, any opinions, too over done? I haven't decided yet). And the last chapter is Cali's departure.

Thank you so much for the reviews. There will be tons of mushy goodness in the Party chapter for all of our little couples. Keep an open mind and Happy Readings!! R&R

* * *

"We're going to the party, though, right?" Rachel gave a weary look to Finn who was smiling brightly. She sighed and looked down at her book that laid on the caféteria table.

To say that the weekend had not been the most amazing weekend of her life, would be a huge understatement. Not only had Saturday been the best (and let's be honest, only) date of her young life, Sunday had been completely magical all on it's own. Finn had dragged her over to his house, and they baked a cake (which he and Cali had ate in the better part of half an hour) and watched several action (with romantic undertones) packed movies.

Cali had even gone over to Puck's at some point so that Finn and Rachel could have a little private time together. In all honesty, it had been the best weekend of her life.

Monday and Tuesday had even gone smoothly, the school was not throwing things at them or mocking them, and Finn was being strong and confident as he took her hand and kissed her cheek. And, sure, when she found out about the bet between Kurt, Puck, Matt, and Mike there was a little bit of turbulence and she made sure that they had to sing a Spice Girl's song in Glee rehearsal, but that was neither here nor there.

The only thing that seemed to be causing her any kind of anxiety about being with Finn was Brittany's party on Friday. The blonde's parents had decided that they were going to Aspen for the weekend and they were sending her younger sibling (twins, a boy and a girl) to her grandparent's house. So, logically, Quinn and Brittany thought a party was more then just calling their names.

Rachel shook her head, gently sweeping thoughts of wedding bells and disastrous parties from the central part of her conscious. She looked at Finn who was smiling brightly, his eyes lit and his expression hopeful.

Did he not grasp this would be the first party at McKinley High School that she had been invited too? _Not_ as a joke?

"Finn, I mean, _you_ can go, of course, but I don't," his eyes had taken on a more sad puppy roundness, his smile dimming with every word out of her mouth. "Finn."

"No, I know, it's just a party. But, Brittany's parties are _always_ fun, and everyone is going, Kurt, Mercedes, Tina, Artie, everyone. I mean, it would be awesome."

Rachel gave him yet another weary look.

"Hello, hello." The two turned as Kurt gently sat in his seat, his lunch bag being tossed on to the table. "Well, I'm pretty sure I have the perfect outfit picked out for Friday night. I can't get too far gone though because Saturday my dad wants to go over to my nana's house." Kurt shook his head and rolled his eyes. "You would think that after seventy years on this planet the woman would stop trying to do doughnuts on her front lawn." Rachel and Finn stared at Kurt. "It destroys the landscape and scratches up her under carriage."

Rachel shook her head. "Finn wants to go to the party."

Kurt looked at her and then the tall boy who was smiling at her innocently. "Well, it would be social suicide _not_ to go."

"See Rach." The brunette turned an gave a look to Finn and then gently nudged Kurt. Neither boy seemed to understand the severity of the situation.

"I think you're just being nervous." Kurt offered. "You'll be fine. We should go shopping after school, find you the perfect outfit!"

"Nothing too hooker-ish, ok?" Finn commented, only to suck his lips in as Rachel's head spun to face him. "I mean, I really liked that corset dress thing, but, I mean--"

"Finn," Kurt was shaking his head, his hand on Rachel's elbow. "Shut up."

Finn quickly nodded his head at the soprano and jumped up, "I'm going to go and get a soda."

Rachel turned back to Kurt as Finn made a mad dash to the lunch line.

"I don't want to go." Her voice was sad and almost pitiful.

Kurt pouted and nodded his head. "That's so sad." He gently patted her elbow. His eyes shifted towards the middle of the cafeteria and then back to her. A smile graced his lips. "We'll take my car after school. Ok?"

---

Cali walked with Puck to his eighth period class her nose buried in a book. Puck was eying her, shaking his head, and making sure she didn't go barreling into anyone or thing.

"You're such a nerd." He laughed as her hand shot out and smacked him. "Well, you are!"

"Shut up. I'm trying to read this in preparation for my class back home."

"I really think you should just stay here for the rest of the school year. And then the summer. And then possibly Junior year as well."

Cali looked up from her book giving a small smile to Puck who had narrowed his eyes and made sure not to make any kind of visible contact.

"Aw, you're going to miss me!"

"Shut up."

"That's really sweet." Cali nodded her head, stopping directly outside of his door. "Noah Jeremy Puckerman is going to miss me."

"I just think it's stupid that you only came for a few weeks. You should have just stayed at home. You could have had, like, a million parties."

"Think of all the sex." She waggled her eyebrows as he pretended to gag.

"That's gross."

"You're having more sex then a rabbit."

"Not recently I haven't." He gave her a sharp look. "I'm just saying it was stupid."

"I wanted to see you guys, and I promise I'll come back for the summer. Except I'll stay in a hotel. I'll kill Finn by the time Tuesday rolls around."

"You're always welcomed to stay with me." Puck gave her a smile, gently punching her in the shoulder. Cali shook her head.

"I'll keep that in mind." She looked around the hallway, her eyes landing on a specific blonde, pregnant, girl.

"Hey." Quinn's voice was full of sleep, her eyes barely hanging open. Puck patted her head, his hand running down the soft strands, resting on her back.

"You ok?"

"I'm exhausted." She shook her head. "I'm skipping eighth and going to nap in the nurse's office."

"I can skip too and just take you over to Brittany's house. We can skip Glee." Puck's hand began moving in circles.

"I'll go with you!" Cali smiled brightly as the two turned and looked at her. It was as if they were acknowledging her for the first time.

"Cal, you don't ha--"

"I can spend time with you two!" Cali threw her arm around Quinn, leading her away from Puck's classroom. "It'll be bonding time!"

Puck shook his head. "You want to make sure we don't do anything stupid."

Both girls turned and looked at him.

"You already knocked her up, Puck. How much more damage could you actually do?" Cali's voice rang across the hall as Quinn simply gave him a look as if he was stupid. Puck looked around at the various students looking at him. He sighed and shoved his hands into his pockets. A certain level of defeat hung around him as he made his way, slowly, behind the two.

---

Puck walked into Brittany's living room, where Cali sat on the ivory sofa, her nose still pressed into the book.

"She fell asleep."

"That didn't take long at all." Cali looked at her watch. "Fifteen minutes."

"Yeah, I know, one second she was babbling about Glee and the next she was snoring." He flopped down next to Cali, curling himself against the corner of the couch. "Seriously, why did you come with us?"

"Well, other then I would get an excuse to bail out of class, I wanted to try and talk to you about Finn."

"I'm not talking to him Cal." Puck shook his head. "I told you I've tried. You need to break through Finn's defenses. Leave me out of it."

"You slept with his girlfriend Puck. I know, I get it, I understand, and I'm not lecturing you or continuing to punish you, or whatever. I'm just stating that, well, maybe you need to try harder."

Puck gave her a doubtful look. "I'm not doing anything. Quinn is at a decent enough place with the whole thing. I'm not riling her up about it."

Cali rolled her eyes. "You two have been friends for years!"

"And I fucked it up." Puck shook his head. "You want to resolve this, you need to get Finn on board to forgiving us." He leaned deeper into the couch. "And if you really want to resolve it, you need to get Berry on your team."

"You're both morons." Cali mumbled, turning and bringing her book back up to her face.

"That's fine. Just don't make it worse, ok?" Puck shook his head. "Because you're just going to get yourself into trouble."

---

"You're going to look smashing." Kurt gave Rachel a confident smile. Brittany and Tina were bouncing behind them. "Cheer up."

"I've never been to one of these parties. What if I make a fool of myself? What if Finn realizes that I don't fit into his social order of sorts?" Rachel shook her head. "It's not going to be pretty."

"Look, we will all be there. You're going to look gorgeous, and you'll be dripping from Finn's arm. Don't worry." Kurt gave her a wink, turning to see Brittany and Tina going over a list of random things Quinn had decided she needed.

Rachel's ring tone broke across his thoughts, forcing the soprano to look down at her purse. The brunette shoved her hand into her purse, dragging out the glittering phone.

"Hello?" She quickly raised an eyebrow. "Oh, hey." Kurt gave her a look, leaning closer to her hear. He growled as Rachel shoved him gently. "Um." She sighed. "I don't really know. I don't think I want to--" She was cut off, her body stopping in the middle of the vast mall hallway. Kurt had stopped a few steps ahead. Tina and Brittany had paused themselves, their attention on Rachel. "I get it, I do, but I still don't--" Her head began shaking. "Cali, ok, ok. I'll try and talk to him." Rachel mumbled a bye and snapped her phone shut. She looked at the two girls and then Kurt.

"What, pray tell, was that about?"

"Cali wants me to talk to Finn about talking to Puck and Quinn about everything. Apparently Puck has attempted to make amends, but Finn has been avoiding him. Puck told Cali that if she wants whatever rift between the two boys to be resolved she has to convince Finn."

"Wow." Tina shook her head. "How are you going to get Fin to talk to Puck and Quinn?"

"_I don't know_." Rachel stated, folding her arms, her shopping bags rattling together. "We don't really talk about Puck or Quinn. And he still gets tense when he's in really close range to them. Especially when they're being sweet to each other." Rachel shook her head. "He is not going to appreciate me telling him to go talk to Puck."

Kurt looked up in thought. "You know. Maybe you can make it an ultimatum."

"What would I give him in return?" Rachel threw him a look.

"My party!" The three turned to Brittany who had flung her arm into the air. Her smile was bright, her feet bouncing against the marble flooring. "You said you were really nervous to go, but I know Finn wants to go, so you can tell him that he has to try and talk to Puck and you'll go to the party."

"That seems awfully underhanded." Rachel stated, looking at Brittany.

Kurt smirked. "It's perfect!"

---

Finn stared at Rachel, his eye squinty and his mouth shut in a tight line. She had called him up while she was still at the mall, asking if it was ok if Kurt dropped her off. Guilt coursed through her veins like blood as he excitedly told her it was no problem.

Now, however, as his ears turned the slightest shade of pink, Rachel figured it was, in fact, a problem.

"Look, don't get mad." This was, about, the seventh time she had said that phrase.

She felt overly guilty and had an abundant amount of shame sitting on her chest. Saying Puck and Quinn's name or even suggesting that he talk to them, was like a slap in the face. She had to remind herself that she hadn't actually done anything physical to him.

"Where is this coming from?" He shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, my annoying friend Cali."

"No." Rachel calmly shook her head. Finn stared at her. "Well, yes, maybe, a little bit. That's not the point." Rachel straightened herself in the kitchen chair, poising her hands in front of her. "Finn, darling, I think it would be good for you to reach out to Puck and Quinn. It's almost been two months. I mean, you can barely do group performances."

"So?"

Rachel's eyes narrowed. "I want you to at least _try_ and talk to them. Don't you think they've been punished enough?"

"Why are you so into this? Wouldn't it be better for you if I didn't talk to them?" Finn folded his arms, his head shaking, his thoughts barely keeping up with the words flowing from his mouth.

"What do you mean?" Rachel's shoulders shrank, her voice dropping low, her glare falling from her face.

"Isn't that why you told me? So I would know the truth and get mad at them and not talk to them anymore? Not talk to Quinn anymore?"

Silence fell over the kitchen, both teenagers were breathing deeply. Rachel sighed, gently moving her hands onto her lap.

"No, Finn, that is not why I told you. I figured you would be upset by the news, who wouldn't be, but I did not have the pure intention of you never speaking to Quinn Fabray ever again. Maybe, it might have been, if I had known sooner then the fifteen or so minutes prior to telling you, but not when I did tell you. I told you so you could know the truth." The brunette stood up, dusting her skirt. "I think it would show great growth and maturity if you could find it in yourself to reach out to them. What they did was cruel and wrong, but they're only human. They're also our friends. They could use your support in this whole mess. Because, no matter what, Quinn is still only sixteen and pregnant and Puck is still only sixteen and trying to take care of it all."

Rachel turned toward the exit of the kitchen. She looked at Finn who was watching her silently.

"And, just for the record, I came to you with the truth. I didn't manipulate you for my own personal gain. I didn't lie, and even though I knew it would hurt you, I made sure it was a hurt that would better _your_ life in time. Unlike you who spent your Glee career using me like a yo-yo."

And with that she had disappeared from the kitchen and from the house.

Finn swore and hit the kitchen table. Every time he thought he was getting ahead of the game he found himself in last place.

---

"Why would you involve Rachel?" Cali barely made it in through the door before his voice filtered across her brain. She turned and looked to see Finn standing in the doorway of the hallway. "Why would you do that?"

Cali clicked her tongue, shutting the door. "Because she's the only one that's going to knock any kind of sense into you."

"So you send poor innocent Rachel into the battle zone?"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Cali scoffed, walking past him towards the small office/guestroom at the very end of the hall.

"We got into a fight because you are just so gun hoe on me reconciling with your precious Noah."

"Oh, give me a break." Finn followed her, taking up most of the space in the room. "He is your best friend, Finn. I know that he hurt you, really badly, but you should be happy that it's not you in his position!"

"Had he not involved himself there would never have been a position!"

Cali placed her hands up. "Did you ever think that maybe you're lack of compassion could be causing them more stress and guilt then they deserve?"

"They cheated, on me!"

"You kissed Rachel, _twice_, while you were still dating Quinn."

"I didn't get her pregnant!"

"I bet you wish you could have tried to get her pregnant though!"

Finn shut his mouth, staring at Cali with wide eyes. The small brunette shook her head, running her hand down her face.

"I just think you should talk to him, and her." Cali added as an afterthought. "You can't just throw away ten plus years of friendship. You have to miss him?"

"Oh, yeah, let me tell you. The constant name calling, talking about sex, talking about girls like their pieces of meat. I don't know how I pass my days!" Finn threw his hands into the air, walking out of her room towards his own room.

Cali followed him, wincing as he flopped into his bed and glared at her.

"You didn't have to involve Rach."

"What happened?"

"I lost my temper and said some stupid shit." He stated, his shoulders falling. Cali resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"Shocker."

"You're a horrible person." His temper seemed to have deflated, his mood manageable. Cali made her way over to him, gently sitting next to him on the bed.

"Noah was there for us, Finn. He use to beat up anyone, _anyone_, if they so much as looked at us wrong. He always had your back in a fight or a potential detention moment. He took a lot of the credit for a lot of the crap we pulled because you're a softy."

"Things change Cal."

"Ok, well, yes, I heard about the paint gun fiasco and the constant teasing of your sexuality and manhood. But, for the record, that is who Puck is. You don't survive the crap he survived and come out whistling Dixie. None of us do." She nudged Finn. "You guys are not going to stay in Lima, Ohio for the rest of your lives. You're going to need each other."

"He slept with Quinn. My girlfriend."

"Yeah, ok, but, for the record," Cali's hand patted his back. "Quinn isn't really innocent in this whole mishegoss."

"We talked about you using made up words." Finn noted, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"It's not made up, it's Yiddish. It means craziness." Cali rolled her eyes. "All I'm saying is that maybe if you reach out to them, you'll start feeling better about all of this. You can move on from it."

There was silence for the better part of five minutes. Finn sighed, defeat twisting with the air. He dropped his head, his chin hitting his chest.

"What about Rachel?"

"I can't solve all you're problems you putz." Finn glared at Cali who simply smiled and shrugged.

---

Rachel placed her books into her locker, her lips pressed together and Mercedes standing to the side, her fingers gliding over her cell phone keypad.

"Can you believe him?"

"Girl, you should have slapped him." Mercedes shook her head. "I am so disappointed with Finn."

Rachel made a noise in agreement. "He's such a baboon."

"He's a moron, that's what he is!" Mercedes rolled her eyes. "You know what. You shouldn't talk to him, and then, at the party, you'll look completely to die for, and he'll be apologizing like _crazy_."

The brunette looked at Mercedes, cocking her head to the side. "I don't want to hurt his feelings."

"Rachel, really?" Mercedes gave her a hard look.

"Fine. But I don't like this."

"Well, you're in a relationship now. You're going to have to do a few things you don't really like." Both girls looked at each other, bursting into laughter. Mercedes sobered faster, nudging Rachel as Finn walked down the hall.

"Hey Rach." His face was grave. "I, um, I wanted to apologize for last night." He pulled out a shabby looking bouquet from behind his back. "I didn't really have time to get a really nice bouquet, but I thought they were pretty. Like you." He gave her a bright smile.

Rachel's eyes softened, causing Mercedes to clear her throat loudly. The brunette shook her head.

"Finn, I think we both need some time to think about what was said. Because I don't know if I can handle you thinking I purposely sabotaged your relationship with Quinn for my own personal benefit." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll see you later. And I expect to see you at Brittany's party, nine o'clock sharp."

She turned and walked away, Mercedes following behind her. Both girls swung their hips, flipping their hair.

"Well, that was mildly entertaining." Finn turned and looked down at Kurt. "Kudos."

"I'm a little confused. What happened?" Finn looked at his bouquet. "It was the flowers, wasn't it?"

Kurt stared at the flowers and then at Finn. "Is that was this is? Ah." He cleared his throat. "I think what just happened here was Rachel's agreement to Brittany's party. As well as a casual pass of the ball being in your court." Kurt gave the boy a smile and a quick pat on the arm. "Put on your armor Hudson. This is a battlefield."

Kurt began walking off, causing Finn to look back down at his flowers and then up towards the direction the three had walked in.

"Wait?" He began following Kurt, flowers in hands. "What happened?"


	11. It Pours

**Disclaimer: **Don't own a thing, blah, blah, blah.

**Author's Note: **I finally saw the preview for Glee for April. Squee! Even though I'm way, way confused. But, all is well. And, on a very happy personal note, I got tickets for Wicked in March, another big Squee!

ANYWAY. This chapter is, well, interesting. It focuses more on Finn/Puck, rather then any specific couple or person. One more chapter, which will be the departure of Cali. Some loose ends will be tied together and they'll all live happily ever after… hopefully! Hehe.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, to EVERYONE who read, reviewed, alerted, anything. You guys are really amazing and, ugh, smiles all around! Hope you enjoy and Happy Readings!

* * *

"But you were suppose to talk to her!" Finn was whining as he trailed behind Cali. The brunette gave an obnoxious noise.

"You implicated that she told you about Puck and Quinn as some grand scheme." Cali shook her head. "Be happy _I'm _talking to you."

"I think I would rather have Rachel talking to me."

Cali stopped and glared up to him. "That was unnecessary."

Finn gave her a look, continuing to follow her as she spun around and walked into the tiny office/guestroom. She stood in front of the medium size mirror on the wall, fluffing her hair and staring at Finn behind her.

"What?" Her voice was very controlled, leaking little drabbles of annoyance.

"I don't understand what the big deal is about me talking to Puck and Quinn. I do not have to forgive or forget or whatever. I can stay angry at them forever."

"Oh, Finn. For the love of all that is good and pure." Cali swung herself around, her hand going to sit on her perfectly perched hip. "Puck is your _best_ friend, and you had some kind of feelings for Quinn. It's not right, what they did to you, and I'm sorry. But, you know, you're going to want them in your life, soon enough. They're your friends."

Finn stared at her, shook his head, and turned, walking right out the door. It was Cali's turn to follow him, her throat gurgling with angry noises.

"It's been two months!"

"You would mourn longer for a dog!" Cali stopped as Finn slammed the bathroom door in her face. She huffed, turning so she could lean against the door.

"It's not a dog, Finn. It's a friendship. You're not mourning it. You're mistreating it."

The door was flung open, causing Cali to grab a hold of the doorway, thanking some higher power she didn't fall flat on her behind.

"They mistreated it first!" Cali sighed, straightening herself out.

"You know what!" She pointed her finger in his chest, his face morphing from anger to a dimmed bitterness. "I don't care! Throw away ten years of friendship! I don't care!"

Finn shook his head. "Whatever."

"What_ever_." Cali began walking towards her room. "Get changed and fix your hair. We have to be at the party by nine!"

Finn watched as she walked away. He looked down at his shirt and then back up to the direction of her room.

"What's wrong with my outfit?!"

---

Kurt was standing next to Brittany's dining room table, the very expensive looking table which was holding all of the liquor. He was nursing a bright pink cup, filled with an even brighter pink drink from the beautiful crystal punch bowl in the center of the table. He was half praying Brittany had the good sense not to put out her mother's _good_ china, and half praying that, since Brittany had no _real_ good sense, no one would destroy the blonde's property.

A beautiful crystal bowl was hard to come by these days. It was right up there with tiaras.

He smiled brightly as Rachel and Mercedes made their way over to him. It was close to ten and both girls were lit like the candles on the high holy days. They hadn't realized that the punch had been spiked (rather very well, actually). The girls had been drinking the liquid candy liquor since they had walked through the door.

He laughed to himself. The liquid virgins had their cherries popped as they giggled and danced to the bubbly beats of R&B and Hip-Hop artists alike.

"This stuff is amazing!" Mercedes commented, pouring herself another, rather large, cup.

"It's like candy!" Rachel giggled, her hair swinging with every move of her neck. Kurt simply shook his head, shifting to look at the front door.

"Prince Charming has arrived." Both girls turned quickly, almost falling over themselves.

"WHERE?!" Their voices mingled loudly, causing Cali and Finn to shift in their direction.

Kurt smiled widen as Finn's jaw dropped, his eyes grazing Rachel's attire. The soprano looked at Rachel, pride filling his chest.

She was sporting a white pleated skirt, that fell an inch or so above the knee. She was wearing a pink tube top, with a jean jacket over it. You know, for the modesty, (giant eye roll). Brown hair had been curled and swept to the side, her feet glistening in silver ballerina flats. Because why on _Earth _should she have to wear heels (he really had made a sacrifice with allowing her to not have to wear heels).

Rachel was very much in the outfit, but it still screamed a loud Kurt as well.

Kurt ran over Finn's jeans, white t-shirt, and varsity jacket. If _only_ he could be in two places at once. The world would be a better place.

"Rachel! Wow!" Finn swooped in, giving her a brief kiss. His tongue ran over his lips. "You've been drinking Brittany's famous poison punch." His eyes drifted to look at Kurt. "Interesting."

"What did you want me to do?" Kurt shrugged his shoulders, his lips pausing to take a sip from his cup. "They liked it!"

"What?" Cali was looking at Finn and then at the two girls who were giggling amongst themselves.

"Brittany's poison punch." Finn smirked. "It's her favorite thing to bring to a party. It's this amazing drink with all different kind of liquors. You can get a high off the scent, alone."

"That's ridiculous." Cali shook her head. Kurt leaned over, pouring her half a glass, thrusting the cup into her hand. The brunette stared at it, leaning her head slightly down. "It does smell good."

"Told you." Finn shifted, making his own glass. "I've been drinking these since the very beginning of ninth grade."

"Alcoholic." Cali mumble, taking a sip of the drink. "Mmm!" She nodded her head with approval. "Yummy!"

"Just you wait." Kurt smiled, bobbing his head to the side towards the girls next to them. "The yumminess is long lived."

---

Finn towered over the door way, barely allowing enough room for anyone to make their way from the living room to the hallway. His eyes were trained on a petite brunette who was dancing and laughing with Mercedes and Tina. He had spotted everyone from Glee within the half hour of arriving late.

Kurt was dancing with Brittany, Mike, and Cali a few feet away from Rachel, Mercedes, and Tina. Artie had been dancing as well, but had rolled himself into the dining room to get beverages. Santana had two Cheerios with he, and had been drinking and laughing loudly in the kitchen, Matt tagging around with them. Puck and Quinn were moving from group to group.

They had just walked away from the dance floor, through the opposite door way to the back of the living room.

Finn, personally, had made sure he had only a couple of cups of the poison punch. He was a big guy and had figured out that he could pour the substance down his throat, and it would still take the better part of the punch bowl to get him over the tipsy line. A couple of drinks, pf, he was lucky if he would even feel the beginnings of a buzz.

His eyes rolled back over to Rachel. The smile that crept across his face was almost instant. She was looking smoking hot and her smile was infectious. He had been dancing with them for a short period, but dancing had never been his thing. Usually at these types of functions he was trailing behind Quinn or Puck, actually, talking to people and playing up the bodyguard situation.

Which, he guessed, was what he was doing right now.

He gave a nod to Kurt who had slinked his way from Brittany and Mike (who looked to be getting a little intimate), and stood next to Finn, basically halting the traffic from the hall to the living room. Neither boy seemed to care.

"So, you haven't tried to talk to Quinn and Puck I see." Finn rolled his eyes, noting that Kurt was talking rather loudly, trying to overcome the music.

"Uh, no, I haven't." Finn simply tilted his head, experience was key to a party survival.

"I think it's a shame, really, that you can't at least talk to them." Kurt's voice was still loud, floating up to Finn and across the room. Not that anyone was paying attention.

"Kurt, this really isn't any of your business." Finn noted that Cali had also disappeared from Mike and Brittany. His eyes moved noting that Rachel, Mercedes, and Tina were inching their way to the couche in the far corner of the room, where Artie waited with a few pink cups.

"Ah, but, atlas my Captain, it seems to be my business. Especially when your involving my friends."

Finn looked down at the soprano. Kurt was staring off into the corner where the three girls had flopped onto the couch, and were all talking and laughing. Artie seemed to be the only sober person.

"You and Rachel are like best friends, aren't you?" Finn leaned closer to the doorway.

"Please don't ask me how it happened." Kurt shook his head. "But she is definitely in my calling circle." Kurt whipped out his phone, showing proof as he spun the circle of faces. "Free calls and texts."

Finn laughed. "I remembered the bitter Wicked diva-off."

"Those were different times, my friend." Kurt was nodding his head a little too much. He was probably finally feeling the effects of his nursed punch. "These days, well, I do anything for those girls."

The tall boy's eyes floated to the corner couch, then to the dance floor, and then finally to the other exit of the living room. He sighed deeply.

"Watch her." Kurt looked up at Finn's sharp tone, simply nodding his head.

"Where are you going?"

"To go make an ass out of myself." Kurt continued to nod.

---

Quinn was sitting on one of the cushy kitchen chairs. She was relaxing, her hands over her swollen belly. Puck was at the island, talking to Nick Harrison, a junior, and his girlfriend Sienna.

The blonde winced as she shifted in the kitchen chair, twisting so her back was a little straighter. A new found glory to pregnancy was the perpetual feeling of being uncomfortable, _all the time_. Even sleep had become a hassle. It was down right annoying.

She let out a breath as she finished twisting herself around. Her brown eyes scanned the kitchen, widening as Finn stepped into the pristine green and white tiled room.

They continued to widen as the tall boy made his way over to the table, flopping down across from her. He had shifted the chair so it faced outward, rather then facing her. His whole body relaxed into the chair, his arm sitting on the table, and his lips in a straight line.

She was little nervous to speak.

"Look, I think what you and Puck did, it's, it was just wrong. You know?" Quinn stared at him, eyes wide, mouth slightly open, and then shifted to look around the small space surrounding them. She noted that Puck was barely listening to Nick and Sienna, the corner of his eye was on the kitchen table. "And I know that you and Puck are sorry or whatever. And I'm not saying I forgive you, because I don't. But I'm not mad anymore." Quinn continued to stare at him. "I'm sure I will forgive you guys, because you're my friends. And I want to help with the baby, wherever I can. Whether it's babysitting, because Rachel is good with that stuff, or buying things, or emotional support. Or whatever." His head turned, his eyes meeting with hers.

Quinn looked at him, smiled, started nodding her head, and then broke into a million tiny tears, that streamed down her face.

Puck made an excuse and walked over to Quinn, squatting down and gently patting her knee.

"She does this. A lot." He looked over at Finn. "I'm sorry man. I really am."

Finn shrugged and then sighed. "Look, I'm glad that she at least has you. I know that you're not going to hurt her or the baby."

"Oh Finn!" Puck shifted so that Quinn could throw herself at Finn, who awkwardly hugged her back. "I'm so happy that you still care! And I'm not really happy about you and Rachel, but I'm dealing with it!"

Finn looked at Quinn, even though her head was buried in his shoulder, he then shifted to look at Puck. The mohawked boy shook his head and shrugged. There seemed to be a silent message of 'take whatever you get' hanging between them.

"Um, thanks, Quinn." Finn gingerly detached her from his neck, giving her a smile. He stood up, turning her to Puck. "I left Kurt in charge of Rachel, she's a little gone, so I'm just going to check on them before--"

Loud bickering erupted from the living room, pausing Quinn's tears and tensing Finn and Puck.

"Well, now we know it's a Brittany party." Puck mumbled, grabbing Quinn's hand and moving quickly towards the living room. Finn was hot on their heels.

---

Kurt had been watching his friends sing and dance in their seats, giggling and laughing as they messed up lyrics and bumped into each other. He smiled and turned, only to come face to face with Cali.

"What's up?" She moved so that she could look over at four of the six original Glee members.

"I'm watching them." Kurt's voice was slurring, just slightly. Cali looked at him and grabbed his cup. "UH!"

"You have had enough." Cali shook her head. "Where's Finn?"

"He went to go make an ass out of himself." Kurt shrugged as Cali's eyes widened slightly. "That is what he told me."

"Oh sweet baby Jesus." Cali mumbled and placed her hand over her face. "I swear to all that is holy, if he does something stupid, I'll kick his ass."

Kurt simply rolled his eyes, his hand trying to dart and take his cup back from her. He was failing miserably.

"You know, I have known that boy since the uterus," Kurt made a disgusted face, "and he always has to go and be a dumb-ass."

"I think it's cute." Kurt once again went to grab the cup, only to partially lose his balance as Cali threw her arm out and away from him.

"_You_ would."

"Hag." Kurt mumbled. Cali rolled her eyes.

"Do not make me go _there_." Kurt opened his mouth, but nothing came out. A loud voice sounded from the back of the living room.

The dirty blonde boy and brunette pixie swung their heads to see Rachel and Tina covered in Brittany's poison punch.

"Oh, no." Kurt mumbled. He began moving towards them, his hand sought out Cali's to drag her along.

"What the hell is your problem?!" Artie was glaring up at the drunken hockey player.

"I didn't know Britt allowed losers at her party! Britt! Come on doll!" The blonde had made her way to the couch, Mike directly behind her.

"They're my friends, Chaz." Brittany was shaking her head. She moved to go help Rachel and Tina, only to stop as the large hockey player turned fully around.

"Rachel the freak, Tina the st-st-stuttering wonder, and Wheels is your friends?" Kurt maneuvered his way behind the red-face boy, grabbing both Rachel and Tina's hands. "OH!" The soprano gave out an annoyed sigh. "And Garbage Bag! Wow Britt, I'm a little disappointed."

"Leave them alone Hahn." Puck and Finn were standing at the edge of the circle that had formed. Puck narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.

"Or what Puckerman? Gonna throw your pregnant girlfriend at me?"

"Seriously Chaz, leave them alone." Finn was glaring at him. "It's a party, go off and drink and have sex."

"Don't be jealous Hudson." Chaz smirked, he spun around and looked at Rachel. "At least she has a decent body." He went to grab her arm, but was suddenly pushed harshly out of the way.

The large hockey player turned and stared at Finn, who was about an inch taller, but a little smaller in width.

"_Leave her alone_." Chaz growled and moved forward, about to throw a punch at Finn when Puck swooped in from the edge and slammed Chaz with a fist first.

Cali gently covered her face with a hand as Finn threw himself into the mix. At that point a couple of the hockey players involved themselves and then Mike and Matt jumped in. She could vaguely hear cheering from the Glees and other students, as Rachel, Brittany, and Quinn were yelling at their respective boyfriends/counterparts.

Kurt, who had slithered back to Cali with Tina, Mercedes, and Artie, gave her a small smile.

"Great party!"

---

Puck and Finn sat at the Puckerman house, a small bag of ice on their left and right eyes respectively. Cali was sitting on the coffee table in front of them, her legs crossed and her eyebrows narrowed. Rachel was curled into the leather rocker just off to the side of Finn, and Kurt was sitting on the floor, in front of the coffee table flipping channels.

Cali had sent Quinn home with Mercedes, while Brittany and Mike dealt with the aftermath of party clean up. She could have cared less about the rest of the party goers, knowing that the rest of the Glee club had either high tailed it home or was helping Brittany and Mike clean.

Her only focused was the two brainiacs in front of her and the repercussions of the enormous fight between the hockey players and the basketball/football players.

"I hope you two are very proud." She shook her head as Puck opened his mouth. "Chaz Hahn has a broken nose. Liam Carter as a bruised wrist. And Michael Chesterfield had an asthma attack."

"We both have shiners and I have a bruised rib!" Finn stated in his and Puck's defense.

"I don't care. You two know better." Cali threw her arms into the air, turning to face the television. Kurt was watching a paid programming for a rolling hair straightening brush. She let out a breath, her head falling so that her chin hit her chest.

"This is not that big of a deal." Puck announced, pulling the ice pack from his bruising eye.

"I still think it was a great party." Kurt stated, leaning into the table and focusing on a frizzy haired model. "Look at this hot mess."

"Kurt, there was a huge fight." Rachel mumbled. She turned and looked at Finn, her smile brightening. "My hero!"

Finn laughed. "I would hardly call anything I did heroic."

"I sure as hell wouldn't." Cali whispered, her chin in her hand. Finn looked over at her, glaring.

"Don't I get anything?" Puck questioned, looking at Rachel.

"You're my hero too." Rachel tilted her head. "You're both my heroes!"

"This is turning into a horrible teen movie explosion." Kurt looked at Rachel and then the two boys on the couch. "I'm getting bored."

"Maybe I should give you a play by play of the fight." Puck glared at Kurt. "Using my fist and your face as props."

"That won't be necessary." Kurt said, turning back to the paid program.

"At least you two are friends again." Cali was distracted as she talked, watching the frizzy girl's hair transform to a straight hair style.

"We're not friends." Finn stated, he smirked and looked over at Puck who simply rolled his eyes. Kurt, Rachel, and Cali turned to them. "We're not."

"Chill, it's cool." Finn and Puck laughed, causing Rachel, Cali, and Kurt to turn back away from them.

All three opened their mouths.

"Boys."


	12. The Best Part of Me Was Always You

**Disclaimer:** I def do not own Glee. Nor do I own _The Last Goodbye _by Atomic Kitten or _Take a Chance on Me_ by ABBA

**Author's Notes: **Oh Sweet Baby Jesus. I finally finished. YAY! This is one long chapter. Over 7,000 words. Sheesh. There are some definite mushy parts, and lots of moments between lots of the characters. There is also like a whole bunch of out there moments, just, I don't know, go with it. Hehe. Fun times!

Thank you SO much to everyone who read the story, alerted the story, reviewed the story. I hope this is a good ending, and I hope you all know how much I appreciate you guys. Uh, I'm a giant mush ball. Happy Readings!! R&R

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Finn had never loved Rachel more then he did at that moment. He had gone over to her house on Sunday to check up on her hang over and to simply see her. And in the short hour he had already been there, he had realized that her Dad totally hated him, like, no joke. But Daddy, well, Finn learned that Daddy was a god sent. He had made the two teens home made hot chocolate, mini-angel food cupcakes, and the most amazing tapioca pudding Finn had ever had the pleasure of eating.

Now, as Finn sat on Rachel's floor, over a picnic blanket, stuffing the mini cupcakes in his mouth, Finn could honestly say that he was simply going to win over Rachel's fathers, and have them take him in. Not that his mother was a bad cook, but, well, her dads were just better at it.

"I really think we should throw her a going away party." Rachel was sitting at her desk, her chin in her hand.

Finn looked up from the picnic blanket, a cupcake half in his mouth, half hanging out. He began shaking his head, popping the airy goodness fully into his mouth. "Weve mnot fgroung--" He stopped trying to talk with his mouth full as Rachel glared at him. He looked down and hurriedly chewed. "We're not going to throw Cali a party." Another cupcake was popped into his mouth.

Rachel rolled her eyes. "I figured you would want to do _something_."

"You obviously figured wrong." Finn laughed, pulling the hot chocolate from his mouth. His smile was wiped from his face as Rachel glared at him. "I'm sorry."

"Puck didn't want to do anything either."

"Cali isn't like that, Rach. She loves attention, but not on things that are, well, shoo-ing her off."

"We're not shoo-ing her off. She's going back to Seattle!" Rachel crossed her arms, pouting. Finn shook his head.

"She'll be back for the summer. Seriously, don't worry about it." Finn leaned back on his hands.

"You don't sound upset." Rachel tilted her head to the side. She couldn't help but smile as Finn rolled his eyes and motioned for her to come sit with him. She, unceremoniously, flopped down against his chest, relaxing against him. His arms circled around her, his lips giving her a sloppy kiss on the cheek. She giggled, fidgeting in his arms.

"I'm not upset." His lips were right next to her ear. "Because I'll see her soon enough. She'll definitely be down for the summer. And now I'll get my bathroom from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. It's not fun sharing a bathroom."

"I wouldn't know." Rachel mumbled, giving him a flirty smile.

"Well then next time, she can stay with you." Finn began tickling her. Rachel laughed, moving from her position, curling up against him. He slowed his fingers, pressing his face into her hair.

Someone clearing their throat, forced both teens to look up. Rachel's Dad, the tall, dark skinned man, stood at the door way. His eyes narrowed and his arms folded.

"Hi Daddy!" Rachel stated happily before falling onto the carpet as Finn jumped up and away from her.

"We were, uh, just enjoying, the, um, food, things, from daddy. Uh! Rachel's daddy. You're husband, person--" Finn's face was a bright red, his ears pink at the top.

Rachel gently stood up, dusting her shirt and pants. "We were enjoying daddy's homemade goodies. Is everything ok?" Her Dad stared at Finn for an extra second before walking over to Rachel and bending to her ear. Finn could hears words like restraining order and law enforcement. Rachel shook her head and giggled.

"I was just checking on you kids." His voice was even scary. Finn took yet another step back.

With a final look to Finn and a kiss on the forehead to Rachel, her Dad gently turned and walked out of the room, closing the door halfway.

Rachel smiled and turned to look at Finn who had crossed his arms, his ears still pink. She sighed and walked over to him, giving him a gentle kiss on the lips.

"He'll get use to you. Don't worry." She began to walk to her closet.

"You promise?"

"Well," Rachel began to chew on her bottom lip. "I can promise if you hurt me, he will kill you." She smiled brightly and walked into the giant closet off to the side of her bedroom.

Finn squeaked out. "What?!"

---

"Can we stop now, my ears are starting to hurt?" Puck let out a huge grin as Cali turned towards him, away from the CD player. She stood up, slapping the side of his head before falling onto his bed.

"You picked out the CD you moron."

"And now I'm tired of listening to it." He got up from his position of the bed and turned it off. He then twisted and crashed next to Cali, their eyes directed towards the ceiling.

"Promise me you won't screw anything up with Quinn. I would like to see my niece over the summer."

"What makes you think you're an Aunt?" Puck laughed as Cali elbowed him. She sighed and allowed her arms to stretch above her head.

"I can't believe how far we've come." Her voice was raspy, her eyes focusing on the white abyss hanging over them. Puck turned and looked at her and then twisted back forward.

"I don't know how far we've actually come Cals."

"You're going to be a father."

"That's only if Quinn decides to keep the baby." Puck let out a deep breath, his arms going under his head. He really didn't want to talk about Quinn or the baby and decisions she had yet made. "Remember when we use to go camping?"

"I remember you and Finn screaming like girls."

"It was a possum! And we were seven."

"You were eight and it's like a bald dog!" Cali started giggling as Puck grabbed a pillow and whacked her. He managed to leave the pillow over her, breaking out into a smile as her laughter sounded muffled.

"You promise you're coming back." Cali calmed down, looking over to Puck.

"Would it make a difference? You and Finn survived three years without me. I haven't even gotten a proper email from either of you since the summer."

"I guess I'll have to try harder. More phone calls."

"Facebook." Cali smirked.

"Email."

"Texting." They looked at each other, their mouths opening at the same time.

"Postcards!"/ "Jinx!"

Laughter filled Puck's bedroom, the two rolling onto their sides. Cali began to clutch her stomach as Puck shook his head. They seemed to have lost the ability to control themselves. Knocking from the wall sounded like thunder, causing the teens to laugh even harder. Jessica must have not appreciated the noise level.

"Oh man." Puck sat up, wiping the corners of his eyes, his breath completely uneven. He looked over at Cali who was still laying on the bed, her breath barely evening out. "I'm very surprise you aren't spending your last free moments with Finn."

"Oh, shush." She kicked him, her smile lighting up her face. "Finn and me, it's whatever. We have that whole ESP bullshit going on. I don't have to worry about missing him, because, honestly, I feel he's around, even though he's not." Cali shook her head. "That sounded crazy."

"Well, you are crazy, so," Puck chuckled, grabbing her shin. "You don't feel me there, even when I'm not."

"Nope." She shook her head. "I miss you. I miss him too, but what with all this bickering and fighting, especially for the bathroom," she huffed, "I'll miss you first." She shrugged. "See, you have one girl who is thinking about you before Finn."

Puck smirked, gently patting Cali's leg. "I guess I can settle for you. Even though you spent the better part of the beginning of your vacation running after Finn."

"You slept with his girlfriend, for the umpteenth time, he needed me a slightly bit more then you needed me."

"Well, you came and situated everything." Puck glance at her face.

"I always do Noah. I always do." Cali sat up, her legs swinging against his bed. "I'm surprised that you two functioned for as long as you did without me."

The mohawked boy made a face, dropping his head so he could look at the ceiling.

"So," his voice was soft. "Who needs you more now?"

Cali turned and looked at him, her eyes falling back to her swinging legs. She smiled and twisted, throwing her arms around Puck in a tight hug.

"Neither of you."

Puck hugged her back, inwardly sighing as the hot tears splashed onto his neck. His grip tightened, his hands rubbing small, comforting circles.

"I'm going to miss you Cow Bells."

"I'm going to miss you too Puckhead."

---

Kurt marched down the hallway, head held high, hair perfectly quaffed, and a severe pissed off look on his face. Rachel and Tina, who were standing at the blue streaked haired girl's locker, both cocked their eyebrows before allowing their jaws to drop.

"Why didn't you rush into a bathroom!" Rachel practically screeched, grabbing Kurt's arm and pulling him a few feet down the hall into one of the girl's bathroom.

Tina scurried in after them her cell phone already out and being texted on.

"Those stupid, moronic, neanderthal, jackass, stupid, ARGH!" Kurt was babbling as Rachel and Tina were prepping him for slushy removal procedures.

"Was it that Chaz boy?" Rachel asked, her temper evident in her voice.

"You're damn straight it was! He caught me completely off guard too!" Kurt growled again, causing Tina and Rachel to look at each other. "I have another pair of clothes in my locker."

"I texted Mercedes, she's bringing 'em." Tina gave him a smile, gently pushing his head back.

"And I just got a trim yesterday!" Kurt moaned, his hands flying up into the air and then down to the sides of the chair that usually sat next to the door.

"It could be a lot words. At least they used grape. Grape doesn't stain as bad as cherry or blue raspberry." Rachel was obviously the logic, as her fingers dipped into the water and then into his hair.

"Think about the red or blue stain that could have been on this," Tina stared at the white with blue trimmed shirt. She honestly had no clue in hell who the designer could have been.

"It's Michael Kors!" Kurt was hostile.

"Is it a girl's shirt?" Rachel asked, only to shut her mouth as Kurt's round eyes turned a deathly stare in her direction. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"I can't wait until those losers are under my thumb. You just wait. They will be on garbage removal. And sewage removal. And all around waste removal!"

Rachel and Tina avoided eye contact.

"What happened?" Both girls turned to see Mercedes rushing into the bathroom, a very designer-ish looking bag in her hand.

"I was walking to Rachel's locker when I got slushied by Chaz." Kurt had folded his arms, barely paying attention to Tina and Rachel as they washed and primp his hair. "I wasn't even in the small circle. You guys were!"

"Thanks Kurt." Tina and Mercedes mirrored each other.

"I'm just saying!"

Rachel sighed, shaking her head. "That means that there are slushies waiting out there for us." Tina and Mercedes turned towards the bathroom door.

"I'm sorry, this is a brand new outfit. I am not stepping through that door!" Mercedes crossed her arms and shook her head. "Those slushies can get nice and melted, honey."

"This is ridiculous." Tina leaned against the sink next to Kurt. "Can't Puck or Finn or Mike or someone go talk to them?"

A loud pop was heard forcing their heads to swivel. Brittany stood at the door, her large bubble deflated on her lips. She gingerly pulled the thin layer, stuffing it back into her mouth.

"Hey guys."

"Chaz slushied me!" Kurt jumped up pointing a finger to Brittany, who stepped into the bathroom followed closely by Quinn.

"Yeah, I know. He was high-fiving some of his hockey cronies." Brittany shook her head. The other five stared at her. "What?"

Kurt shook his head, wincing as water trailed down his cheek. He turned to the mirror and winced again.

"Oh, my hair."

Rachel rolled her eyes, pulling a small, dry, wash cloth from the expensive looking bag Mercedes had brought in.

"I thought we would be moving up the food chain."

"Apparently showing up at Brittany's party was the kiss of death." Mercedes looked at Brittany who was wearing a guilty expression. "Thank you."

"I'm sorry you guys."

"It'll be over and done with soon enough." Quinn stepped up to the mirror, adjusting her sweater and pulling out a lip-gloss from her bag. "They're just pissed off the Finn and Puck beat the crap out of them."

"The virgin queen is cursing. Hurrah." Kurt smirked, a glitter in his eye. Quinn shook her head, but smiled none-the-less.

"I'm just saying." She shrugged, her blonde hair moving off her shoulders.

Rachel sighed. "We can't stay in the bathroom all day."

"The acoustics are pretty good in here." Mercedes looked up at the ceiling.

"We are not having Glee practice in the ladies room." Quinn stated. Brittany nodded her head.

Rachel held her head high, took a deep breath, and began walking to the door. "I'm not going to be afraid of a few ignorant, small minded people."

The five in the bathroom watched as she left.

Mercedes leaned against one of the stalls, as Quinn took the vacant seat that Kurt had used. Tina had turned around, adjusting her eye make up. Kurt began fluffing his hair, shifting it from position to position, his fingers weaving up and down, side to side. Brittany popped another bubble.

They all waited for the better part of eight minutes before the door opened again, Rachel walking back into the bathroom with red slushy dripping down her face and blouse. Kurt was the first to move, grabbing her hand and ushering Quinn from the chair.

"I see you took it unafraid." Kurt stated, receiving a glare from Rachel who immediately closed her eyes as the water was turned on.

"Did you see anymore slushies?" Tina ventured, grabbing her cell phone to text Artie to break into Rachel's locker.

"Those stupid, ignorant, small minded, moronic hockey players. Someone call Finn! There will be _hell_ to pay!"

"On it." Tina stated, her fingers pressing keys at the speed of light.

"I would give a warning to Puck and Mike as well." Brittany stated, bent over Rachel with Kurt's wash cloth.

"They wouldn't dare slushy them." Quinn's voice wavered, a hint of low assurance dancing with her words.

The door was thrown open, Cali walking in with a bag and what appeared to be Finn's cell phone.

"I have Rachel's clothes. And what the hell is a slushy war?"

Tina, Mercedes, and Quinn all stared at her. Mercedes was the first to move, throwing her arm around the pixie's shoulders.

"Let me break it down for you California."

---

Finn was pissed off.

No, no. Pissed off didn't begin to _describe_ the feelings he was currently wielding inside. Pissed off barely scraped the surface of the feelings that were twisting and turning against his stomach. Pissed off aspired to _be_ the emotions that were hitting his chest with every pound of his heart.

His arm was possessively around Rachel, who was sporting a white sweater and black jeans. She had almost gotten slushied again, along with Mercedes, before Puck knocked the slushy to the ground and threatened to twist Jackie Bowmart (yet another hockey player) into a human puck for the hockey game next week.

Puck had ended up walking them to third and fourth period.

Now, however, feeling the slightest bit safer in Finn's arms, she barely cringed as she thought about the cafeteria. She smiled brightly as Kurt appeared from a bathroom, standing very, very close to Finn.

The taller boy didn't even realize until Kurt, while swinging his head around to check if the coast was clear, bumped into Finn's stomach.

"Uh, Kurt?"

"Right now, Hudson, I am you're undercover lover. This is an old, but very sentimental Dolce and Gabbana outfit." Finn stared at Kurt who was holding his hand to his heart, his eyes big and wide.

"Did you just call yourself my undercover lover?"

"Look, don't act like you haven't fantasized." Kurt flipped his bangs, holding his shoulders a little straighter. "You know you can't have this."

Finn looked, slightly frantic. He swung his head to look at Rachel who had bent her head, her hand covering her face.

"I, you, I, what?"

"Kurt." Rachel reached across her boyfriend, grabbing the collar of the very expensive shirt, and dragged Kurt over to the other side of her. "How long have you been hiding in the bathroom?"

Kurt was fixing his collar, his hands soothing down the new crinkles from Rachel's grasp. His eyes looked at her with fire. "Since the bell rang. I know that you walked this way and I was hoping there would be a body guard situation."

"Finn is not my body guard, he's a gentleman."

"Uh, no, I'm totally here to make sure no one messes with you." Finn stated sharply. He looked at Kurt. "And to make sure no one messes with Kurt, as well, I guess."

"Brava." Kurt shook his head, his eyes almost crossing as he stared at the designer shirt. He would be absolutely devastated. It was Dolce and Gabbana for all that was good and pure.

"I still don't understand why they're being--"

"Pompous, chauvinistic, bottom of the barrel, future drunken, slushy Nazi, jackasses?" Kurt supplied.

Rachel nodded. "Yes, that."

"Chaz has an ego the size of New York. He hates losing and he hates being shown up. I guess he felt threatened by you guys and then got his ego busted by Puck and me." Finn opened the door to the cafeteria, walking in first. "Straight to Puck's table. I'll get us food." He kissed the top of Rachel's head and then rushed off to the lunch line.

Kurt held his head and shoulder that much higher, walking with a certain sway to Puck's table.

Cali was sitting next to the mohawked boy, her eyes closed and her fingers rubbing her temple.

"Is all well?" Kurt asked, sitting down next to her. Mike moved from his seat, pulling it out for Rachel and sitting next to her.

"Puck is going to get suspended if he keeps bullying the hockey team." Cali's voice was low and tired.

"What do you want me to do? Let them terrorize Taylor Swift and Jordan Sparks over here?"

"I have never sung Taylor Swift!" Kurt stated, his hand hitting the table. Puck and Cali didn't acknowledge him.

"I'm just saying." Cali opened her eyes and threw a smile over to Rachel and Kurt. "I am happy that he's saving you guys, because this crap would not be tolerated at my school."

"That's what happens when you go to a private school." Puck motioned to the cafeteria. "This is a jungle."

"Survival of the fittest." Mike agreed, popping a French fry into his mouth.

"They haven't tried going after you guys?" Rachel asked, her eyes rolling back and forth across the cafeteria.

"Nah, not after we kicked their asses. Once you lose, you don't normally try and ask for a rematch." Mike shook his head and looked at Puck.

"Well, they don't normally ask for a rematch unless they're stupid." Puck concluded, leaning into his seat. "And Chaz and his crones are stupid, but they ain't that stupid."

"Oh dear lord." Cali glared at him. "Did you seriously just say 'they ain't'?" Puck simply nodded.

"See, laws." Kurt stated, gesturing to Puck.

"Here we go." Finn placed down two trays onto the table. He grabbed a chair from a neighboring table and stuffed it in-between Mike and Rachel.

"Thanks Finn." Rachel smiled up at him. Finn could feel himself melting.

"Puke." Finn turned his head and glared at Puck who was smiling widely. "You know you missed me." Finn neither agreed or denied his friend's statement.

"Your school is full of unnecessary drama. It's actually physically upsetting." Cali shook her head, leaning back into her chair.

"It could be worse." Kurt stated, grabbing a piece of the sliced apple from Rachel's tray. "We could have the neanderthals running the school." He paused. "Oh wait! They already do!"

Rachel laughed, as the rest of the table seemed to just stare at them.

"You guys don't get it." Rachel sobered her laughter, her voice smooth and authoritative. "You guys run the school, at least you run the school more so then _we_ do. Popularity does have it's perks. Being freaks has, well," she looked at Kurt and then her tray, "slushies."

"That's not true." Finn stated, his head shaking.

"Trash cans." Kurt simply said, raising his hand. Cali looked at him and then Finn who understood perfectly.

"Eggs." Rachel continued, her head still down.

"Wedgies." Kurt lowered his hand, his eye brows daring anyone to deny anything.

"Slushies."

"Name calling."

"Dirty pictures."

"Lawn furniture."

"Berry the Freak."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Cali put her hands up, stopping Kurt and Rachel who had put a large amount of tension on the table, as well as had forced Finn, Puck, and Mike to bow their heads in shame. "What's going on?"

"Your boys here, as noble as they are with this whole armored guards through this slushy fest, use to be our number one bullies." Kurt wasn't smirking, he wasn't wearing a look of amusement, he wasn't even trying to hide the annoyed look on his face.

"_They_ use to bully you guys?" Puck cringed as Cali turned to him. Why, oh why, did he choose to sit next to her. He winced more for the anticipation then the pain as her hand came in contact with his arm. Whack, "Isn't that," whack, "funny!" Whack.

"We were stupid!" Puck pulled his arm away, gently flapping his wrist at her hand. "And we stopped doing it!"

"Taylor Swift?" Kurt's voice was sharp in Puck's ear.

"Sometimes!" Puck swung to glare at Kurt, and then swung and glared at Cali as she got another hit in. "You know, Finn and Mike did it too!"

Mike put his hands up defensively, while Finn tried to cower in his seat.

"I am so disappointed in you guys! What the hell is wrong with you?" Cali leaned over and slapped Mike, who looked at her in shock. "Where on earth would you get the idea," she hit Puck again, "that it's ok to bully people?!"

"Uh! Hello!" Puck motioned at her and the raised hand. "You're the biggest bully of them all!"

"At least I pick on people who are bigger then I am!" She glared at him lowering her hand. "You're a jackass!"

"Cali that is not--" Finn stopped talking as her hazel eyes crashed with his brown eyes.

"You're a jackass too!"

"That's the pot calling the kettle black!" Puck stated, he had shifted away from her.

"Excuse me?!"

Kurt and Rachel had scooted a few inches from the table, their eyes trained on Puck, Cali, Mike, and Finn all arguing. Their raised voices were mingling together, making it the slightest bit difficult to fully listen to what they were saying to each other.

Kurt, who had started to smirk as Cali began smacking Puck, leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms.

"Awesome seats." He looked over to Rachel, his head nodding. "I'm really glad we decided to come to the matinee showing, rather then the dinner special."

Rachel simply covered her face again.

---

Quinn stared at Puck as he mumbled and groaned in the seat next to her. They had arrived to Glee a few minutes early and Quinn could tell right away that Puck was in a bad mood.

"Is this about lunch?" She knew he had been watching over Mercedes and Rachel throughout the day, even after lunch. So, she knew it wasn't about that. And even though she had spent the better part of lunch laying down in the nurse's office (she was always just so damn tired), she had walked into the cafeteria for the last few minutes of lunch, only to be greeted by Kurt and Rachel chattering away to each other, while Mike, Finn, and Puck, all seemed to be glaring at Cali when they thought she wasn't looking. Even though, Quinn reasoned, the look over Cali's face, _priceless_. And damn scary.

"Kurt went and explained his whole sob story to Cali!" Puck glared over at Kurt who had turned in his seat. The soprano simply smiled and waved.

"What sob story?" Quinn questioned giving a look to Kurt who was enjoying Puck's anger just a little too much.

"How we were his and Rachel's, and the rest of the Glee's, original bullies."

"Ah." Quinn leaned back into her chair. "That's, well," she cleared her throat.

"Oh, oh! Quinn was another one Cow Bells!" Quinn covered her face as Puck leaned forward and Cali turned in her chair to glare at him.

"Leave the pregnant girl alone." Quinn whispered, nudging Puck's knee. "The pregnant girl is not in the mood for this crap!"

"You and the pregnant girl." Puck rolled his eyes, but leaned into his chair.

"Hey guys!" Quinn uncovered her face as the room turned to Mr. Schue. He gave them all a large smile, his hands clasping together. "Well, I know we've been practicing a lot of songs." He looked at the tired faces of his students. "_A lot_ of songs, but you should all be proud of yourselves!" He started clapping, only to slow it down, and then completely stop it as the students remained silent. "Ok then! So, tomorrow will be Cali's last Glee rehearsal with us!"

"Today, actually." The room turned to the petite brunette. "I have to leave directly after eighth period tomorrow." She nodded her head. "So, today is it."

"Cali, I wish you would have told me that." Mr. Schue's shoulders dropped. "We would have had a party or something."

"I told you!" Rachel blurted out, turning completely to Finn. The tall boy nodded his head, gently pushing Rachel's legs so that she was once against facing Mr. Schue.

"It's fine, Mr. Schue. No party." Cali gave him a smile. "I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to watch and listen and participate in this amazing Glee Club. Definitely beats out the one I've got at home."

"That is very inspiring and gracious of you Cali." Mr. Schue gave her a smile. "Well, then, you'll have to sing us one last song."

"Oh, no, I don't think so." Cali shook her head. Finn and Puck seemed to be put off by her lack of enthusiasm. It was Calista for heaven's sake. A girl who had literally rammed them into the ground so she could do karaoke first in sixth grade.

"Come on, any song you want." Mr. Schue took a step to the side, gesturing to the middle of the room. "Last chance."

Cali smiled and stood up, her eyes darting over to Puck and Quinn and the Finn and Rachel. She walked over to the pianist, leaning close to his ear. He smiled and nodded. Cali threw a wink to the band.

"I figured I would plan a _little_ something." Her voice was full of laughter.

The Glee kids all relaxed, anticipating Cali performance. The music filled the choir room, tempting some foot tapping.

"_Ain't no headlights on the road tonight, everybody here is sleeping tight, ain't nobody gonna find us here. We'll disappear. There's a dancer in the arms of love and he's dancing on the sky above and the truth is that we'll never know where love will flow. Aim high, shoot low. (Gotta aim high, shoot low baby)._"

Finn smirked, leaning into his chair, his hand finding Rachel's. He nodded his head to Cali who simply winked in his direction.

"_Ain't no headlights on the road tonight, ain't nobody here to make it right, 'cos we couldn't seem to find a way, for love to stay. If you had another night to give, I would have another night to live, but you're never gonna see me cry the last goodbye._"

Mr. Schue was smiling and tapping his foot. His eyes glanced across at his kids, his smiled widening as he saw smiles and sways.

"_Is it cloudy where you are tonight? Are the neon lights shining bright? Are you looking for a place to stay, to get away? Can't get away, And the days are horses down the hill, running fast and there's no time to kill and the truth is that we'll never know where love will flow. Aim high, shoot low. (Gotta aim high, shoot low baby)._"

Cali was belting out the lyrics. She threw her arm in the air, her hips moving in sync with the music. Her eyes met with Puck's. He smiled and sent her a mental praise, and, of course a mental slap on the wrist. The girl was truly bad-ass.

"_If I could do it over, I'd do it all again (again). And if I got one more chance I wouldn't change a thing. Aim high, Shoot low. (Aim high, shoot low baby). If you had another night to give. I would have another night to live. But you're never gonna see me cry the last goodbye._"

Loud clapping erupted in the choir room. Cali did a little curtsy.

"Thank you Mr. Schuester." She gave him back the floor.

"Wow! I'm going to miss you Ms. Monty." Mr. Schue was still clapping. He gave her a nod.

"I don't think you'll miss me too much, you do have an excellent Glee club." Cali threw a look to Kurt who shrugged, his smile over powering his face.

"That I do! So, now that we had that wonderful performance, I would like you guys to start thinking about a group song!"

Puck leaned forward, his hand on the back of her chair.

"Great job." Cali gently patted his hand.

"Think of songs Puck."

---

Monday night had been partially uneventful, other then Cali's mother storming through the house, hot pressed to divulge her travel gossip with Mrs. Hudson and Cali. Finn had rescued Cali, dragging her out to Marcy's Café to meet most of the Glee club for hot chocolate (still not as good as Rachel's dad's hot chocolate) and various pastries.

They had hung out until about seven, when the club walked around the park, breaking out into random song lyrics and laughing as they purposely threw each other off key and what not.

Finn was basically dreading Tuesday. He had been convinced that he wouldn't care either way about Cali's departure (she would be back by the summer), but in reality, he was going to miss her.

He knew that with Cali's parents it was hard for her to come visit Lima, her home. The past three years held proof enough. Every time she had planned on coming to their small little hometown, something usually came up. Mostly an impromptu trip with her father or some business trip with her mother.

And even though Finn had pushed her to the back of his mind, because she wasn't around, the tiny, bullying, stubborn girl had once again swooped in and fixed all his problems. Usually she did it through an encouraging phone call or enthusiastic e-mail, but this time, this time he had to face facts. He was going to miss his crazy friend.

"You're going to have to get out of the car." He shook his head, turning to look at Cali. She was staring at him as if he was stupid.

"Wait, just wait." He held up a hand. Cali let her hands fall to the steering wheel, the keys jingling against each other. "I'm going to miss you. And I'm sorry I haven't kept up. And I'm even more sorry that you spent your entire time cleaning up mine and Puck's messes. We barely covered anything that happened to you."

Cali looked at him and laughed. "Finn, come on." She shook her head. "I'm leaving in about eight hours. Nothing is going on with me. I lead a very boring life schlepping from one house to the other. Daddy sends his love by the way."

Finn stared at her. He sighed. "I will miss you."

"Yeah, I know." She leaned over and gave him a hug. "I'm going to miss you too. Don't do anything stupid while I'm in Seattle."

Finn couldn't help but laugh as Cali pulled back. "No faith."

"Never. Not when it concerns you." She threw him a wink, twisting to get out of her car.

"Nothing new happened?" Finn gave her a doubtful look. Cali sighed and looked at him.

She turned back to the door, and got out of it. She stretched up, waving to a few people she had met through her classes. Turning back, she leaned into the car.

"I managed to lose my virginity over the summer to my boyfriend, Tyler." She threw another wink at a shell shocked Finn. She blew him a kiss and stood up, shutting her car door.

She barely managed to control her laughter as she walked away, Finn yelling to himself in the car. Raising a hand she beeped the car lock, her smile bouncing across her face.

---

"I can't believe she has a boyfriend." Puck shook his head, disapprovingly. "We've been shoving all our love lives down her throat and she doesn't even let out so much as a breath about this _Tyler_ fellow."

Rachel, who was sitting at the lunch table was promptly ignoring Puck and Finn. Cali had decided to eat outside with Quinn, Mike, and Matt. Kurt was using the bathroom. Puck and Finn were seething in their seats.

"She always does this. She got kissed before us too." Finn shook his head, Puck looking over at him.

"Dude, obviously, I'm not holding on to my virgin card."

"Shut up Puck." Finn grumbled, folding his arms like a two year old.

"And good luck with this one." Puck gestured towards Rachel. He winced as the book came in contact with his shoulder.

"Maybe I just didn't want to do anything with _you_."

"You made out with him." Finn continued to grumble his words. He, too, winced as the book found it's way to his shoulder.

"Stop talking about my virtues. And leave Cali alone, she's allowed to have a boyfriend. She's going back to Seattle! Focus on the fact that you two will have to go back to cleaning up your own messes."

The two stared at Rachel.

"Because I can promise you," she pointed her finger at Finn and then Puck. "None of us are going to dedicate ourselves to you, the way that girl does." She rolled her eyes as Puck snorted and Finn's face transformed into that of a four year old. "Seriously?"

"Yes."/ "No problem."

Rachel nodded her head, her nose returning to the inside of her book. Kurt sighed as he came up to the table, his body falling into the chair. Rachel gave him a look.

"I'm not above lecturing you either."

"I was up late trying to reorganize my iTunes. I'm dog tired." He looked at the sulking boys opposite of himself and Rachel. "What has their underwear in a bunch?"

"What did I say about you talking about my underwear Hummel?" Puck pointed a threatening finger over to Kurt.

"It's a long story that's not as important as the big picture." Rachel's eyes were big, staring at Puck and Finn.

"Yes."/ "Whatever."

Kurt stared at them and then looked at Rachel. She shook her head. "Cali has a boyfriend and didn't tell these two. Probably because of all their unnecessary drama."

"Personally, I don't know how you two manage to get dress in the morning." Kurt gave their shirts a quick look over. "Other then the fact neither of you have any good fashion sense."

Rachel sighed bitterly.

"Hummel, shut up." Puck spat out, crossing his arms and leaning back into his chair.

"Or what? You'll bunch your underwear some more." Kurt barely saved himself from falling out of the chair as Puck shot up from his seat. Rachel glared at the mohawked boy as Finn grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.

"Later. During practice." Finn shot a look to Kurt. "The equipment can't fight back."

"Or cry." Rachel added.

Puck simply pointed a finger at Kurt, who smiled and waved, yet again.

---

Puck made it to the choir room. He had just gave one last hug to Cali and he didn't feel like going to practice.

Something warm fitted into his hand, causing him to pause and turn to stare at Quinn.

"You ok?" He couldn't help but soften at her voice. She was doing absolutely nothing for his image.

"I'm fine. It's not like I care or anything." He shrugged, noting that she was unconvinced.

"She'll be back soon enough." Quinn gave him a smile, her hand squeezing his. "She's a good person."

"She's a good friend." Puck agreed. He sighed and gently let go of her hand to place an arm around her shoulders. "You're a good friend too Fabray."

"Thanks Puck." She smiled up at him, her arm snaking around his waist. "I went through your cell phone."

Puck looked up at the ceiling. "And you found?"

"Absolutely nothing." Quinn smiled brightly. "I think you may be growing up Noah Puckerman."

Puck laughed. "We all seem to be growing up these days Fabray." He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "Come on, let's get you off those swollen ankles."

"I hate being pregnant." She mumbled.

"It looks good on you though." He smiled down at her. She was unamused. "Sorry."

---

"ABBA!" Finn smiled at his girlfriend, his eyes rolling.

"Mr. Schue," he raised his hand as the rest of the Glee club looked at the music sheets in their hands.

"It's not a girl's song Finn." Mr. Schue threw him a smile. Finn simply laughed. "I want to say that you guys have come a long way." He smiled as he noticed the closeness his students had found over the last few months. "And I am very proud of you guys. This is just a fun little song to warm you guys up. Rachel, Finn."

Rachel jumped up, her hand finding Finn's without any effort. She led them up to the front of the room. Music filtered across the choir room.

"It'll all be okay." She whispered. Finn looked towards the choir door, a smile forming over his face.

"I know." Rachel looked over her shoulder, but was nudged by Finn to start her singing.

"_If you change your mind, I'm the first in line. Honey I'm still free, take a chance on me._" She gave a large smile at Finn who dipped down to kiss her cheek quickly.

"_If you need me, let me know, gonna be around. If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down._" His voice filled the choir room, causing Mike to 'whoop' out loud.

Before Rachel could sing her part, Mercedes and Kurt beat her to the punch. "_If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown. Honey, I'm still free, take a chance on me._"

Quinn's laughter caused Finn to smile over to her. She locked eyes with Puck. "_Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie, if you put me to the test, if you let me try_."

"_Take a chance on me. (That's all I ask of you honey) Take a chance on me._" The mohawked boy shook his head as Quinn laughter continued.

Finn took the next cue, spinning Rachel around. "_We can go dancing, we can go walking, as long as we're together._"

The brunette's eyes lit up. "_Listen to some music, maybe just talking, get to know you better. 'Cos you know I've got so much that I wanna do, when I dream I'm alone with you. It's magic._"

Brittany jumped up, surprising the Glee clubbers. "_You want me to leave it there, afraid of a love affair, but I think you know that I can't let go._"

Twelve voices mingled together in perfect harmony.

"_If you change your mind, I'm the first in line. Honey I'm still free, take a chance on me. If you need me, let me know, gonna be around, if you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down. If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown, honey I'm still free, take a chance on me. Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie, if you put me to the test, if you let me try._"

Rachel and Finn looked at each other.

"_Take a chance on me. (Come on, give me a break will you?) Take a chance on me. Oh you can take your time baby, I'm in no hurry, know I'm gonna get you. You don't wanna hurt me, baby don't worry, I ain't gonna let you._"

---

Cali stood outside the choir door, her eyes staring into the choir room. She watched as Mr. Schue passed out the song she had recommended (and found sheet music for as well as lyrics). Her eyes lit up as Rachel dragged Finn to the center of the room.

Finn's head turned. Brown crashed with hazel, causing Cali's heart to swell up with anticipated 'miss you' feelings.

Rachel turned her head, but was nudge by Finn to start singing. Cali closed her eyes as the two, then four, then six, and finally all twelve belted out the lyrics to her all time favorite ABBA song.

She opened her eyes, smiled, and then pulled away from the choir door.

Her brown hair grazed her shoulders, her Tiffany's necklace bounced the fluorescent lights from the ceiling. She began whistling and then humming. Finally her voice caught up to the sway of her hips as she sashayed out of McKinley High School.

"_Let me tell you now, my love is strong enough to last when things are rough. It's magic. You say that I waste my time but I can't get you off my mind. No I can't let go, 'cos I love you so._"


End file.
